Blue Balliett at Blackwell

Hannah and Edson present Blue Balliett with a poster signed by the students

Blue Balliett is an award winning author of Chasing Vermeer,The Wright 3, and many more.  She combines art history and secret codes to create mysteries that children enjoy reading all over the world.   Blue Balliett came to Blackwell to talk to 3rd,4th,5th and 6th graders.  She shared her writing and brainstorming techniques.  She wanted the children to remember this…”Many of us have passions that started in childhood – sometimes I think we are who we are right from the beginning.  I was a watcher.  I loved disappearing into books. I wanted to be a writer by the time I was eight; as a kid, I played with words in my head, turning them this way and that as if they had color and sparkle. The puzzle was always to allow words to shine singly yet also fit together in combinations that felt just right.  I’m still working on it.”

WALK, BIKE OR RIDE THE BUS!

On Friday, September 30, Blackwell, the Village of Schaumburg, and the Schaumburg Police Department are sponsoring a walk/ride/bus to school day.  Not only is this a healthy option for our students and great for the environment, it is also one way to reduce the congestion around the neighborhoods, making it safer for everyone.

Did you know…?

• A 15-minute walk to and from school five times a week burns off the equivalent of 11 pounds of fat in a year.

• Walking helps to improve overall balance and coordination.

• Bicycling and other forms of exercise have been shown to help increase bone density.

• Walking and biking is a convenient form of transportation for short journeys and can be faster in highly congested areas.

• Test results show that children who walk to school are more alert and ready to tackle the day.

• If a class of 25 children walked to school, that class would burn 7,500 calories per day; reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 2.75 lbs per week and save $135 in gas.

• Taking the bus reduces traffic congestion, gas emissions.

Let’s show Schaumburg how healthy the Blackwell Bobcats are!  Please join us in walking, biking, or riding the bus on September 30!