During the past several months, Spartans in all divisions have engaged in a variety of programming centered on empathy and kindness, the central themes of author R.J. Palacio’s books. Among other books, Ms. Palacio is the author of “White Bird,” a graphic novel made into a movie. In October 2024, Middle Schoolers took a field trip to a local theatre to watch “White Bird.”

Ninth graders recently completed a project inspired by the popular book. Middle/Upper School Librarian Crystal Hamlin and Upper School English Teacher Janel Nellen collaborated to design the lesson. 

“In ‘White Bird,’ the main character, Julian, listens intently as his grandmother shares her story of survival, courage, and kindness during World War II,” explained Ms. Hamlin. “She does this to help him as he struggles to find his place in the world. Julian has been expelled from school for bullying a classmate, and his grandmother’s story has a profound effect on him.”

Ms. Nellen added, “The adults in our lives have a wealth of experience and knowledge. We tasked our ninth graders to interview an adult in their life about these topics and record the interview, podcast-style. We wanted students to focus on the theme of kindness and to draw from the experiences of their elders, just as Julian had done in ‘White Bird.’” 

The podcasts are creative, thoughtful, and touching, and they reflect elements of Steward’s core values (innovation, inspiration, care & respect, individuality, academic achievement, and civil discourse). The podcasts were included in a February gallery show in the Carolyn R. Brandt Gallery honoring Ms. Palacio’s work. The exhibit was held in conjunction with a special evening on campus: a screening of  “Wonder,” a movie based on another of Ms. Palacio’s books. The best-selling author will visit Steward later this year and meet with students in all divisions; stay tuned for more details! 

Students asked their interviewees questions about several topics: their childhood; the “life lessons” they’ve learned; the challenges they experienced throughout their lives; the successes and failures that shaped them; and their most defining moments. Interviewees were also asked to share advice that might help listeners in their own lives. Students interviewed family members, including parents, uncles, and grandparents. 

Ellie Hirsch ’28, who recorded a heartfelt chat with her grandmother, said, “I thought that this project was amazing because you don't get a lot of time to sit down with your family members and talk about these topics. My grandmother still remembers when she had polio and how it made her feel inside and out. Since she was only five years old at the time, I can only imagine what that felt like.” Ellie said her biggest takeaway from the assignment was that “just like how Sara [the Holocaust survivor in ‘White Bird’] braved her fears, I won't let fear take the wheel of my life.”

Drew Mack ’28 interviewed Charles Mack, his grandfather.  

“I chose him because I am named after him and because he has a lot of knowledge about business and our family history,” shared Drew, who was surprised to learn that his grandfather had been hired as CEO of a company that was in bad shape financially and was tasked with turning it around. “My grandad said that he helped put together a team to make it successful again, and they ended up having the best three years in the company’s history,” said Drew. He added, “I really liked this project; it helped me learn a lot more about my grandad that I didn’t know.”