How often does one think about the batteries they have on hand? For the characters in the anthology, “Why Do We Never Have Any Batteries,” it would appear, not very often.
The 2023-2024 KCMS 7th Grade ASP+ class was prompted by their teacher, Christine Webb, to start a writing club during their 2024-2025 8th Grade school year. Many of the students rose to the challenge and created a club for informal writing and community.
In brainstorming, they decided to give purpose to their club beyond doing the art they enjoy. With a call to give back to the community through writing, it was decided to write and sell an anthology to sponsor and create a Little Free Library at Tree of Life School in Kalamazoo, MI. sing Ceremony where the staff speaks a special blessing over the students.
Each member of the club, along with Mrs. Webb and a few other students, wrote a short prose or poem to be added to the anthology: “Why Do We Never Have Any Batteries?”
The works varied in style, genre, theme and setting. The only criteria was to incorporate the question “Why do we never have any batteries?” into the piece.
Contents of the anthology were managed by the students in the club. They set submission due dates, edited each other’s work and designed the cover.
Addie Ancrile, one of the writers, said, “We all like to brainstorm together, so we’re all just bouncing crazy ideas off of each other.”
Some of the stories are inspired by true events such as the story by Elizabeth Cho, retelling her great-grandfather’s role as a train conductor during the Korean War and Reagan Motson’s story of a tornado hitting town, inspired by the recent spout of tornadoes in Kalamazoo.
“I would say that a lot of my inspiration comes from not reading the mainstream books, like I find this random dystopian novel from some random ‘nobody’ author at a book sale or at a garage sale for $0.50,” Eliee Stob, writer, said. “I just like reading the peculiar and obscure.”
To raise money for the Little Free Library, the girls had to sell about seven anthologies each. They hung up posters around school and wrote fundraising emails. They designed the structure of the Little Free Library, and, with the help of their teacher and her family, built and painted the structure.
The girls said having clubs in middle school, especially at a smaller school like Kalamazoo Christian, is a great opportunity to connect, share creativity and grow in their passions.
When the Free Little Library was finished, the girls filled it with books, notes of encouragement and Bible verses for Tree of Life School and the community to enjoy.
As these girls enter high school, they have tentative plans to continue writing together even if it’s not a formal club.
