by Fourth Graders in Ms. Widger's Class at University Prep in Detroit

NEW MONUMENTS

Memorials That Matter

826 National’s Commitment to Inclusion

As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, 826 National and its chapters recognize the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order to build and maintain the safe, supportive 826 environment in which great leaps of learning occur, we commit to inclusion: We will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, nationality, marital status, English fluency, parental status, immigration status, military service, or disability.

Copyright © 2023 by 826michigan and Blotch Books.

All rights reserved by 826michigan, the many whims of Drs. T & G Blotch, and the authors.

The views expressed in this book are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of 826michigan. We believe in the power of youth voice and are thrilled that you picked up this book. No part of this book may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher, except for small excerpts for the purposes of review or scholarly study.

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About the Program

This book contains writing from 826michigan’s New Monuments field trip program. During this program, students explore what a monument is and can be, dreaming up new possibilities for local ways to honor heroes and specialties, from the playful (coney dogs and magical creatures) to the serious (activists and abolitionists). In collaboration with 826michigan volunteers, students envision and draw these new possibilities, and then write about why they think their new monuments should be built. This project is based on the work by student writers at our sister chapter 826 New Orleans and their publication Courageous, Eccentric, Diverse: New Monuments for New Orleans.

Monument to Amelie-Anna’s Grandma and Mom

by Amelie-Anna

When I am sad and broken my grandma and mom are always there to make me feel special. I love my grandma and mom because they are funny and fun and anything. They would be an important monument because they are so special! The monument will be located in downtown Detroit where everyone can see. It will be of my grandma and my mom holding hands. It will be made out of stone. This monument will make people feel grateful for their families.

Monument to SynCere’s Cousin AJ

By Syn’Cere

My cousin AJ is the nicest and best video game player I’ve ever known. He plays video games with me and he is also kind to me. This monument would be important because he can do multiple types of tricks that I can’t do. I’m going to put this monument of him on a t-shirt because then there could be a picture of him smiling!

Monument to the Extinction of Animals or Creatures

By Alora

Remember the animals that went extinct? Think about your favorite one that went extinct or is going extinct. The pleasant air is gone because they are gone. Think about dinosaurs, wooly mammoths, giant tortoises, and other animals that are so grand to us. We missed them… but we aren’t the only people who destroyed them. I love these animals. They are my everything. We miss them so much! My monument to extinct animals will be a metal copper sculpture. It will show people not to harm animals that are going extinct and that they are special.

A Monument to Teachers

By Payton

Teachers are important because teachers can help you so you can learn things you did not know before! This is why we need a monument to them!

A Monument to Cassadi’s Mom and Dad

By Cassadi

My mom and dad would forfeit their life for me. When I’m feeling grief-stricken, they bring me up! My dad when my grandpa died we were sad but brought eachother joy. My mom helped us be a better person. We play games with each other which makes us have fun. My mom and dad are important because they love me and I love them. This monument of my mom and dad would be located at my house, a picture of me, my mom, and my dad, in a picture frame.

A Monument to My Shoes

By Saron

I’ve got my new Tims that I can take off of my feet for superpowers! Including superman jump power, the Flash’s speed, and Michael Jordan’s dunking. My shoes are real big. They are real brown. They are really strong and everything you can think of. My shoes make me cry. My shoes give me everything, flowers, bedtimes stories, the answers to my homework. My shoes do my homework, call my mom, and more. My shoe monument would be located in downtown Detroit, right next to the Little Caesars Arena!

A Monument to Dawan’s Dogs Playing Basketball

By Dawan

No dogs are better basketball players than my dogs! My dogs are fast and strong, more fast and strong than cats. They are smart. I love dogs and everybody loves dogs, too! My monument will be downtown playing basketball, dunking on LeBron James. If we make my monument, I’ll pay you a lot of money.

A Monument to Brielle’s Mom and Sister

By Brielle

Nobody loves drawing and my mom and my sister more than me. My mom inspired me to keep going on my artwork, but my sister inspired me to start drawing. This monument is important to me because my drawing is really special to me and makes me feel peaceful and my mom and my sister are who inspired me to start making art. This piece of artwork is going to be located at the DIA. Iw will be made of cloth. This artwork will inspire people to do something that they love!

A Monument to Giannis Antetokounmpo

By Lavel

Giannis Antetkounmpo is explosive! He is strong and athletic. He won back-to-back MVPs, he was an all-star, and he is a 1x NBA Champion. He is Greek and Nigerian. We need this monument so more people can know how great he is. I would put this monument in my room, and the monument would be of Giannis holding a basketball. In my opinion, he is one of the best to ever play the game.

A Monument to Football

By Bryaelyn

Football! Down in my three-point stance. It makes me feel invincible! I love to get in the backfield and tackle the QB. I feel unstoppable. This is why we need a monument to football. It would inspire everyone, especially football players, to work harder. The monument would look like someone holding a football and they are about to throw it. The monument is a statue and it is made of bronze or silver. The monument is located at Bussel, my practice arena! In my opinion, football is the best.

A Monument to Miss Widger

By Kenneth

I come into this classroom tired and there is a smile waiting for me. Miss Widger is kind. She makes me feel special. She makes me feel grateful because I have her in school. She puts out puzzles for me to do! A monument of Miss Widger would inspire people to become a teacher. A monument of Miss Widger will make people feel happy and special if they are already a teacher. The monument will be in the school. It can be a holograph of her. We need this because Miss Widger makes everyone do their very best. We need this because more people want to become teachers like her!

A Monument to Basketball

By Thomas

When dribbling the ball down the court and when making the ball go in the net I feel unstoppable. Kobe Bryant was a great player and he was good at finishing at the rim. Stephen Curry makes most of his shots. There are so many good basketball players. Having a monument to basketball, and to players like these, will help younger players persevere. We can put the monument in a gym and it can show a basketball player making a shot that goes right into the net. The monument will make everyone feel unstoppable!

A Monument to Football!

By Bria

Football is a big part of our lives. Football has a bunch of parts like the Super Bowl. Football makes people want to play it because it has exercises like for your arms and you can run faster than you could before you started playing football. Football makes people feel excited because they think that the team they like might win the Super Bowl. The monument would be near my house on a billboard. It will look like a giant football. It is going to be made of paper and cardstock. People who play football persevere even when they fall down!

A Monument to Miss Widger

By Armani

Nobody knows Miss Widger better than Ms. Rosa aka Rosa Parks. She’s a beautiful, kind, loving, caring self-controlled person. And she is patient with people. This monument is important because my teacher inspires me to be the best me. The monument would be located right outside her house!

A Monument to Arkem’s Mother

By Arkem

My mom will risk her life for me. That is why she should get a monument. She is a safe, happy, and heartfelt person. This monument to her will be right in the park and it will be made out of copper. My mom is the best person I know and a monument to her will make people always appreciate who they have in their life, too.

A Monument to Julien’s Parents

By Julien

My parents are the best. And I mean the best! My parents are loving and make me feel safe. My monument to them will be in a museum and it will be made of metal. My monument will inspire everyone to love their parents and to go visit their parents!

A Monument to Layla’s Mom

By Layla

My mom cooks and my mom helps me. My mom is so happy and good. The monument to my mom will be in a park and it will be made out of stone. My mom really is the sweetest person. She is the most amazing!

A Monument to a Dog

By Riley

A dog deserves a monument for its love! Dogs are cute, cozy, and fun! They are also really smart, and have really good vision. Finally, they will protect you from strangers. I feel really happy because they are smart, cozy, funny, and very kind! My monument will be on a stone and it will be colored gray. If I talk about the theme of dogs, it will draw attention to the reader’s eyes. I want people to remember that dogs are kind and funny at the same time!

A Monument to an Anime Dog Drawing a Picture of a Basketball

By Armani, Lavel, Dawan, and Brielle

Nobody loves dogs and basketball more than us! Dogs can smell things from miles away. Basketball is the most athletic sport. Anime is peaceful when I draw it, and it has amazing scenes when I watch it. This monument would show a thing we all like. Beautiful and happy, special, unique because a dog has never painted before. It shows how special dogs are in many ways. Basketball makes Dawan feel special and happy. This monument would be located in central park, downtown. It could also be located at the DIA.

A Monument to Chinese Food

By Cassadi, Saron, Da’maya, and Londyn

Chinese food is hot, steamy, and seasoned like sesame chicken. What could be better than that? It has shrimp. It has fried rice. It has fried noodles, and it has crab rangoon with sweet and sour sauce. Chinese food is important because it is food that people can eat and because it has some healthy ingredients. Our monument to Chinese food would be an illustration that would be in a museum made of hard paper.

A Monument to Crab Legs and Butter

By Da’maya and Londyn

The warm and steaming fantastic flavors of crab legs with melted butter and shrimp. It has the juice, the seasoning, and it has the deliciousness of shrimp and crab legs. It feels exciting and happy and delighting to have such good food. A monument to crab legs and butter would be everywhere!

A Monument to Miss Widger

By Layla, Julien, Arkem, and Riley

If you don’t like Miss Widger we will find you and tell you that she is special, she is forgiving, she is nice, and she is careful. We feel really happy to have her as our teacher and kinda sad that next year we will have a different teacher. When our classmates come into the classroom, we feel grateful to be in her classroom. Our monument to her will be really tall and really big, and it will probably be taller than the school. We will use brick so it can be very strong. The monument will change your life. Miss Widger is an angel and the best teacher. This monument will document how she cares about her students.

826michigan inspires school-aged students to write with skill and confidence in collaboration with adult volunteers in their communities.

Find out more at 826michigan.org