What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Conversational fluency in binary code. Favorite 826 memory? Working with a student on their (I believe) AP government assignment, and they gave me a great idea for a story - which leads to my chapter book I'm working on! Please describe your ideal pizza. Mushrooms, sausage, extra cheesy (like my jokes), pepperoni, and maybe pineapple! Must be thin crust - although the sauce doesn't change much from the norm given Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far: I've worked in the tutoring program for the last few years, and loved it each time I get to work with students! Favorite spice? Cinnamon What are you superstitious about? None I can think of. Hidden talents? Not so hidden - I love to write and illustrate! One thing is that I'm currently working on a chapter book for teens that is wholly original! Favorite book? The Angel Experiment from the Maximum Ride Series - by James Patterson. What was the best Halloween costume you ever sported? Cleopatra or a Runaway Bride. Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Be on your toes - Keep learning and working with students, adaptability is really important! What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Rachel: Adopting a pet robot dog. Lauren: Frankly I think everything will be the same except my stomach will adapt to eating nuts & bolts instead of walnuts & raisins. Naitnaphit: A power outage. Favorite 826 memory? Rachel: Some of my favorite memories are when students share how much they care about their writing and its impact on others. Recently, I asked a student what he wanted to include in his author bio, and I was touched to hear that what he really wanted readers to know was how hard he had worked on his writing and how much he hoped they liked it. Lauren: Every time a student's sibling has joined in on a virtual workshop! The beauty of virtual programming. Naitnaphit: Walking into 826 Valencia for the first time and marveling at the pirate gear and supplies. Made me want to be a writin and rhymin pirate. Please describe your ideal pizza. Rachel: Fluffy crust, with tikka sauce and cheese, topped with roasted garlic, onion, red peppers, okra, and paneer. Lauren: Bubbly crust, spicy red sauce, mushroom, black olives, fried egg, non-dairy daiya parm and (trust me on this one) lemon zest. Naitnaphit: Detroit style, pepperoni, pineapple! (haters gonna hate) Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far: Rachel: I love field trips and in-school programs! It has especially been a blast getting to work behind the scenes on the Young Authors Book Project this year. I love spending quality time with the amazing 826 staff, and it's been a joy getting to know Ms. Islam's third grade class so well. Lauren: When I was an intern the summer of 2020, I loved designing and running a virtual workshop on food and poetry (part of 826's "Lunch Poems" series!). We met over Zoom and talked about recipes not just for food, but for ourselves, for art, for our loved ones - we imagined a tasty world, past, present, and future, at our fingertips. Then, for the past couple of months, our team has been coordinating workshops on a "book of advice" for the Young Author's Book Project. It's been so exciting to see young students write about their expertise, and/but it makes me wish even harder for the day we can write and think with classes and students in person again! Naitnaphit: I started volunteering for 826 as an after-school tutor, and worked on some behind-the-scenes stuff. This was my first time designing curriculum and planning lessons for the Young Authors Book Project! Favorite spice? Rachel: Garlic. Lauren: Cinnamon. Naitnaphit: Easy: fennel. Wait, maybe garlic? Is lemon a spice? What are you superstitious about? Rachel: When I'm playing catch, I always have to end on a completion. It would definitely be bad luck to end on a drop or throwaway! Lauren: The postcards my friends send me are good luck charms. Naitnaphit: I can't leave basketball practice without making all my end-of-practice free throws! Hidden talents? Rachel: Puzzling. Lauren: I can flip pancakes without a spatula. Naitnaphit: I can fold fitted sheets into neat rectangles. Favorite book? Rachel: Atonement by Ian McEwan. Lauren: Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich. Naitnaphit: Of all time?! You're asking impossible questions. Okay, if I had to choose, Matilda by Roald Dahl. What was the best Halloween costume you ever sported? Rachel: When my friends were dressed up as Bubbles and Blossom from the Powerpuff Girls, I dressed up as Buttercup -- but I added a crown, so I could also be Princess Buttercup to my boyfriend's Westley. Lauren: Apple tree. Naitnaphit: My partner and I once went as Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox! Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Rachel: To quote one of the students I worked with this week, "Never try to outdo a grizzly bear!" In layman's terms, this roughly translates to: never underestimate the imagination of a young writer. Lauren: 1) Writing in pen colors other than black and blue really adds zest to life and 2) You're awesome (gimmicky, I know), but I hope you have moments to remember how much you matter, how much your presence is felt and appreciated in workshops and tutoring sessions - especially in a virtual world where our "matter" (physically and symbolically) is so much harder to register. Naitnaphit: Kids love people who love them too! Also, they're smarter than we are. xo What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
At our house, eating healthy food powers us up against our own recurring robot-- the 10 o'Clock Monster. He really hates it when we eat our veggies. So I'm pretty sure that would work against the robot apocalypse too. Favorite 826 memory? I started at 826 right after COVID shut down the world, and designed my first chapbook right after getting my appendix removed last summer. 826 and I have seen some hard times, but working together has made them all seem a little brighter! Please describe your ideal pizza. I am an all-the-toppings kind of girl! I love a good mushroom-artichoke-caramelized onion-grilled chicken-arugula with white sauce and mixed cheese on thin chewy crust, or a big slab of deep-dish combination with lots of sausage-mushroom-olive-bell pepper-red onion-pepperoni-mozzarella-and-marinara sauce. You really just can't go wrong with any kind of pizza. Even fruit pizza with cream cheese is amazing (especially on a pie crust)! Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far: I have LOVED working on the Design Cohort at 826! I have had the chance to make a fun wee-bots chapbook with lots of little elephant illustrations, the If I Were You advice field trip book full of squids, and the new Write Now Kit collaboration with Black Men Read for which I got to design -- wait for it -- A STICKER. Best. Job. Ever. The best part about designing stuff for 826 is knowing that awesome kids will get their hands on my work and use it all up. Favorite spice? Nutmeg! What are you superstitious about? I think my Tarot deck sometimes tells the future! Hidden talents? I like designing and sewing dolls and stuffies for my kids and my nieces and nephews! Favorite book? The Morrigan Crow series, Stargirl, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, the Harry Potter series (I could keep going forever, this is a really hard question!) What was the best Halloween costume you ever sported? Last year I was a BAT. Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Sometimes adding another thing to your plate seems stressful, but when you remember that it's a way to offer your gifts to other people, and you're doing this for the right reasons, it's a gift to you as well. What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Distracting socks. Please describe your ideal pizza. BBQ Chicken! Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far. I had the privilege of helping out with schoolwork support. Best project? On the last week, my kiddo and I worked together and created THE CARD SPITTER (patent pending), a useless invention that scatters your monopoly money for you! As we brainstormed and worked on the concept art, I could feel his enjoyment. Opportunities to nurture the creative side in these students are what made me love helping out this organization. Favorite spice? Paprika. Great flavor and fun to say. Hidden talents? I can skateboard. I am a sk8er boi. Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? There is always something to be grateful for. What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Wooing the robots with the cuddliness of my sweet, newly adopted senior chihuahua and also maybe offering the robots the nest of old charging cords I have in the closet as treats. Favorite 826 memory? One of my favorite 826michigan memories was leading a workshop where everyone wrote love letters to food. Some of the letters were funny, some of the letters were serious, and all of them were delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! I've also been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of 826michigan's volunteers, staff, and programming when I taught 3rd grade in Detroit. Our class wrote about exploring new planets and 826michigan turned their work into a coloring book. How cool is that! Oh, how my students cherished those! Please describe your ideal pizza. I love all pizzas! My ideal pizza is a hot, square Detroit style pizza with a slightly crispy garlicky crust, lots of cheese, and all the vegetables. Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far: I love helping out with workshops and field trips. I've been involved with 826michigan on and off for 6 years. Volunteering during the pandemic has looked a little different, but the virtual components have allowed me to give more of my time. Helping our writers' stories come to life is joyful. It's also rewarding to see the swell of pride that comes with our writers seeing their published work. They stand just a little bit taller. I think they also begin see themselves, writing, and the world a little bit differently, too. It makes all the difference and keeps me coming back for more. Favorite spice? Ginger (I love it in cookies, tea, and dinner). What are you superstitious about? Snow days. Hidden talents? Organizing spaces. Favorite book? It's so hard to choose a favorite book! Currently, I'm really liking Circe by Madeline Miller for boldness and beauty, The Wild Robot by Peter Brown for acceptance and community, Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner for the warmth of friendship, and The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery for wondrous information. What was the best Halloween costume you ever sported? All I wanted to be was a spider when I was 3. I don't know what this says about me. There were so many legs and I don't know how you beat that. Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Show up, jump in, and have fun! You never know what you're going to learn from these amazing writers. The other day I learned some helpful tips for what to do if everything I touched turned to cheese! Let yourself being inspired by their boldness, creativity, and point of view. What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Jeannette: Dancing and music every day Brian: A squirt gun Favorite 826 memory? Jeannette: Watching my children truly blossom in their writing which had a direct impact on their confidence through participation in the 826 programs. Please describe your ideal pizza. Jeannette: The toppings must overwhelm the crust so that it is impossible to eat neatly - sauce, mushrooms, onions, bbq chicken, asparagus, extra cheese - cheddar and mozzarella. Brian: Thin crust pizza with pesto sauce...topped with pine nuts, fresh sliced garlic, green olives, and chicken...with mozzarella and feta cheese. Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far: Jeannette: Spending time with the folks at 826 is a gift, I've been involved in one way or another (kids, etc.) with 826 since it opened in Ann Arbor. Right now I am volunteering with the HR committee. My favorite part about this role is the opportunity to think with the 826 leadership and staff as they work through really tough times with thoughtfulness, kindness and grace. Brian: HR Committee! Favorite spice? Jeannette: Ginger. Brian: Cumin. What are you superstitious about? Jeannette: Walking under ladders. Brian: 11 is my lucky number. Hidden talents? Jeannette: Croquet. Favorite book? Jeannette: Bel Canto Brian: Fab Five What was the best Halloween costume you ever sported? Jeannette: Minerva McGonagall. Brian: Dead Presidents (Larenz Tate) Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Jeannette: Volunteering gives you back so much more than you give. What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Since my first thought was pizza and books, which you (wisely) ask about later, I choose a universal remote with a big red OFF button, and enough batteries to keep that thing working until the space aliens come to our rescue. Favorite 826 memory? There are many: Making tiny boats in a science workshop! Getting a card from someone who was learning to read! Seeing the lightbulb pop on over a student's head when that one thing we were stuck on got unstuck! Dramatic performances of stories written moments ago! And all the grins, which have merged into a single, giant smile over the years. Please describe your ideal pizza. When in doubt I go with mushrooms and onions, but that's only for unknown and potentially precarious dining environments. Close to home I have specific faves: in Ann Arbor it's Cottage Inn's "Spicy Mediterranean" (hot pepper rings, feta cheese, olive oil, and Italian seasoning), in Ypsi it's Aubree's "Tuscan Sun" (spinach, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, and more!), and in Detroit you can't beat Supino's eponymous "Supino" (roasted garlic, black olives, chili oil, ricotta, mozzarella). Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far: If I remember (and count) right, I'm in my lucky 13th year of tutoring, and I've taken part in a bunch of writing workshops and presentations as well — most of those are comics related, since that's a thing I do when I'm not tutoring. I've also sorted books, caught mice, and cleaned. Favorite spice? Oregano What are you superstitious about? Food. When I was younger and played Little League I ate the same meal before every game, and I still kind of do that before I run in races. It doesn't guarantee success, but not startling your stomach is always a good idea before any kind of competition. Hidden talents? Never hide your talents! But two nobody see are my efficiency at brushing my cat and cleaning her litter box. Favorite book? Hah. I see what you're doing here, Blotch: ask impossible questions, wait to pounce on wrong answers. Not gonna fall for that! I love 100s of books, but my One True Favorite is still out there somewhere, so I'll keep reading until I find it and you can't stop me. (But, maybe, this week, The Princess Bride? Or is it The Overstory?) What was the best Halloween costume you ever sported? Over the years there's not much documentary evidence of me dressing up, and I don't remember many either, but I found a picture of me dressed up as ace relief pitcher Rollie Fingers, and it made me laugh when I saw it. Look him up, and imagine a moon-faced 10 year old trying to rock a (fake) handlebar mustache while shoving candy in his mouth. Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Well. I don't think I'm the right person for this question. But you asked, so I'll say that even after more than a decade of tutoring it still amazes me how much more wisdom you end up with when you try to share some of yours. What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Travis: Sprinkler fortress. Justin: Conversational fluency in binary code. Favorite 826 memory? Travis: The first time I heard Dr. Blotch's voice. Justin: Walking into the Liberty Street store right before my job interview dinner 5 years ago! I had known about 826 before (had been to others across the country), but didn't realize there was one in Ann Arbor. Now it's one of the first places I take visitors. Please describe your ideal pizza. Travis: Pineapple is the ideal. Justin: Detroit-style (lots of cheese) with pineapple. I'll battle anyone about pineapple as an essential topping. Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far. Travis: Over the spring and summer, I helped edit videos for Dr. Blotch's Writing Challenge. I'm also editing videos about writing with students at home. Justin: I haven't been able to volunteer as much as I would like to, but when I saw that I could help with video editing, I immediately offered to help. Favorite spice? Travis: Cumin. Justin: Cilantro (so glad it doesn't taste like soap to me). What are you superstitious about? Travis: Tying my shoes the right tightness. Hidden talents? Travis: Age of Empires II Justin: Cat wrangling Favorite book? Travis: The Brothers Karamazov Justin: My favorite of the last few years is "The Overstory" What was the best Halloween costume you ever sported? Travis: I went Team Zissou. Justin: Cowardly Lion as part of an Oz crew. Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Travis: Keep on keepin' on. Justin: Always intend your puns! What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Distracting socks. Favorite 826 memory? My most favorite recent memory was when a student, who barely talked during the entire workshop, read his story out loud on the last day of the session. He was as courageous as Captain America. Please describe your ideal pizza. Ranch dressing, cheese, more cheese, much more cheese, artichokes and candles. Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far. The students and volunteers in the Writer's Clubs and Wee-bots have been inspiring and joyful. They approach each topic with enthusiasm and listen attentively as people share and reflect. The students are courageous - they take chances by writing what they feel and sharing their thoughts and words with people they only barely know. The volunteers give their whole hearts to create a positive, uplifting experience. I am so fortunate to share a little time with these creative, committed individuals. My heart sings when I am present at 826. Favorite spice? Basil. What are you superstitious about? Never put shoes on your bed. Will definitely bring bad luck. Hidden talents? Singing loudly off-key, dancing underwater, watching golden finches eat birdseed. Favorite book? To Kill a Mockingbird. What was the best Halloween costume you ever sported? The cow that jumped over the moon. Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Soak up the sunshine! Keep volunteering at 826. What is the best strategy for surviving the robot apocalypse?
Camping in a Costco (they have everything there!) Please describe your ideal pizza. Cheese, cheese, and more cheese! And of course garlic crust...YUM! Favorite spice? Garlic Powder (Tastes good and keeps the vampires away!) What are you superstitious about? I like wearing a specific blueberry colored jacket on all my important test days. Best Halloween costume? Human Sized Whoopee Cushion Hidden talents? Freestyle Dancing Favorite book? Catcher in the Rye Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far. I mostly do afterschool tutoring so that has to be my number 1. Math homework in particular is my favorite, so that's what I've been doing weekly online with one of the students! Favorite 826 memory? Telling a student that I am unable to see pictures so they had to describe Minecraft to me in writing (it worked)! Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers? Try to gamify homework or reading. It makes the activity more fun for you and the student. Studies have shown even adults can keep more attentive if you make something into a game! How FUN :) |