A unique collaboration between Woodhaven High School and Gudith Elementary recently brought student creativity full circle - transforming the imaginative ideas of kindergarteners into fully written, illustrated, and bound children’s books, thanks to the efforts of WHS creative writing students.
The project was initiated by WHS English teacher Trevor Dobruk, who saw a unique opportunity to turn a children’s book writing unit into something more meaningful through cross-grade collaboration.
“I am teaching creative writing this semester and wanted to do a children’s book unit,” said Dobruk. “I consulted with teachers who had done it before and thought working with a kindergarten class would be ideal.”
Laura Machlik, a kindergarten teacher at Gudith Elementary, was immediately on board. Her students worked together to brainstorm story ideas, coming up with characters and settings that sparked their imaginations.
Titles include:
Lunch Ladies in the Sky!
Gizmo Lost His Bananas
It is Important to Know....
Peanut, the Best Little Monkey
How the First Polar Bear Went to Mars
Camp Shimmer
A Dragon's Sweet Tooth
The Helpful Unicorn
Sharks Like Vegetables Too!
The Roaring Lion and the Brave Bear
“My students were thrilled to share their ideas,” said Machlik. “They loved brainstorming and seeing their ideas come to life in these finished books. The excitement on their faces when we received the books was priceless. They remembered the characters they created and were amazed to see them in an actual story.”
Dobruk’s students then got to work, choosing story concepts from the kindergarteners and crafting full children’s books. They studied the structure and elements of famous children’s literature, drafted their stories, and illustrated the pages - some by hand, others using a coloring book-style app. With the help of WHS graphic arts teacher Laura Holland’s class, the books were laminated and professionally bound.
For the high schooler students, the project offered more than just a writing assignment - it was a chance to develop creative, literacy, and communication skills while engaging with a younger audience in a meaningful way.
“The children's book stories were very exciting to work on. It’s a different type of style to write for kids, trying to not make it too long or complicated,” said Bella Newman, a WHS senior. “Hearing how the kids loved them made us feel good about our writing. It made us happy to put a smile on their faces.”
“I absolutely loved the project,” said freshman Ash Hoppe. “Working with the kids' ideas and making it into something for them to read was so much fun - I had a blast.”
Junior TreVaughn Mendoza-Scott added, “Although the book was just an assignment, it was a good way to express our inner child. It really let us show our imagination.”
The project also highlighted valuable real-world skills such as collaboration, creative thinking, and adapting communication for different audiences.
“My students learned how to simplify their language and write a story with a clear moral,” said Dobruk. “They were very proud of the work they did, and it gave them a tangible product they could be proud of.”
Machlik’s class celebrated the partnership by creating a special photo thank-you card for the high schoolers. She hopes future collaborations could be even more hands-on, saying, “It would be awesome if the high school students came in person next time to work in small groups with my students.”
While the project may only run once a year due to the creative writing course schedule, both teachers agree it was a highlight of the semester - one that brought joy, inspiration, and a deeper connection between students across the district.
