Stamp Champs

Welcome to our blog. We are the Stamp Champs, a group of students in New Orleans who like to write and send letters to people in our city and all over the world. We believe writing and reading letters will help us learn more about ourselves and our community. Stamp Champs is a project of Big Class (www.bigclass.org/) supported by Akili Academy (www.akiliacademy.org/).

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Dear Kelly, It's Been a Long Time...

A week ago the Stamp Champs dared you to write a letter to yourself in a post featuring the famous Fats Waller song, "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter." Penpal and Poet Kelly Jones quickly responded with the following:

Dear Kelly,

It's been a long time since we've written, but I just wanted to check in and see how things are. Jazz Fest just ended, are you relieved? I hope the tourists weren't too obnoxious and that you made it unscathed through a weekend of waiting tables on Frenchmen Street. Remember how you used to love festivals and being in the thick of a herd of sweaty, dancing, intoxicated people? What happened? Have you gotten old? I think you may have.  I recently saw on Facebook that the co-op you used to be a part of in Carrboro, NC, is looking for members again. It made me wonder if it is possible to go back to something, or if moving forward is the only option. Is the past to be forgotten or built upon? Or both?

Well, this letter is beginning to drip with nostalgia, and there is work that should be done. 

So, till next time.

K

Please keep sending in your letters to self to [email protected].

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Ja'mya enumerates her many reasons for loving Spring in this delightful letter to the season.

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Bianca writes a rhyme-y letter to each part of her Spring world—Dear Spring, Dear Grass, Dear Pond, Dear Flowers, Dear Sun, Dear Rain.

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After days of watching the weather outside perk up in glories of green and new insect-life, we decided to address the matter head-on.

Here, Destiny reads her letter to Spring.

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Stamp Champs! dare: we dare you to write a letter to yourself today! Email them to us at [email protected], and we'll do what others may not; we'll write you back!

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Writing Prompt—Stamps Champs! Guide to the Galaxy

Dear Stamp Champs,

What in the world do we know about letters? 

We've been writing to our penpals, and our penpals have been writing to us. We've sent out messages to big personalities. In fact, we're still waiting to hear from Beyoncé and LeBron James!

Still, we might be developing some ideas about what a good letter is all about. 

Let's take some time to consider what we know about composing messages, preparing a parcel. At the top of a fresh page in our notebooks, let's put the header HOW TO WRITE A GREAT LETTER, and tell the world what it is we think forming a grand epistle is all about.

Your Blogger,

Ms. C

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Prompt: Write a blues poem that expresses a particular frustration of yours.

Blues poetry, the brotherly and sisterly lyric of blues music, is a powerful writing form. It emphasizes the human spirit of willpower in the face of great odds. Considered by many to be healing songs, blues music can…

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Our First Submissions

What Is a Poem?

A poem is crazy. A poem is

funny. A poem is active. A poem is

curiosity. A poem is fun. A poem is

where you can do anything. A poem

is you.

—Diva Dollis, Akili Academy, Age 8

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Today's Writing Prompt--Happy National Poetry Month!

Afternoon Stamp Champs,

Not only is today the first day of April but also is today the first day of National Poetry Month. This means that for the entire month students, teachers, and writers everywhere will be thinking about poetry, its importance to our culture.

We haven't talked too much about poetry, but what is a poem? What do you think is special about a poem? Why do people want or need poetry?

Do poems rhyme? Do they have to rhyme?

Why don't you take a moment to write down a mini-definition of a poem on your notebook page.

As a part of Big Class's celebration of National Poetry Month, we will be publishing the poems of young writers on pizza boxes on the night of April 18th. Check out the Pizza Poetry Project page.

Let's take a look at the first writing prompt posted today and hope to become inspired to write our first poem of the month. 

Your Blogger, 

Ms. C

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Last Friday, we had a small class and decided to end our time improv-ing, building a one-word-at-a-time story. Joining us this day was a veteran Big Classmate, Calaysia. Check us out!

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Let the Brainstorms Begin!

Last week, we began to come up with possible ideas for our final project. We brainstormed many concepts talked about how we could have fun working together as class but also with our penpal community.

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Today's Writing Prompt--Friday Cheer

Dear Stamp Champs,

What's with today, today? 

It's a very rainy Friday we're spending together. Sometimes when the weather is so intensely dark and wet, we, too, can get to feeling a bit stormy. Have you experienced this today? Ever?

To keep our spirit's up, let's get inventive. Let's turn to a fresh page in our notebooks and share with our penpals a super secret spell or recipe for Friday Cheer.

What brings you out of a gray mood?

Yours,

C

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Roniya reads a letter she wrote to Erin Brent, her penpal whose signature farewell is "bye, girlfriend!"

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Diva reads a letter to her future self inspired by one of our in-class free-writing prompts (http://stampchamps.tumblr.com/post/79577571440/todays-writing-prompt-tomorrowland). 

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Today's Writing Prompt--Let's Tell Spring How We Really Feel

Word up, Stamp Champs!

Last week we began our brainstorming session for our final project, and we discussed some truly exciting ideas. What will be very important for us to think about now as we move forward are all the details.

This means that we must be very attentive to our surroundings, very careful and respectful of our classmates, and very focused on the greater good and whole.

On a different but related note, another important aspect of working towards the final project will be paying attention to details, the very small parts that will support the big picture.

We can practice paying attention to our surroundings and the details by noticing the changes around us outdoors. It is becoming Spring, a season that invites all kind of review. 

Let's take a moment to begin a letter to Spring. Is this a happy season for you or a frustrating one? Do you like to see new life budding? Will you miss Winter? Are you looking forward to the summer?

Let's tell Spring how we really feel!

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Hannah, Horse, Hay, Hammer, Hand, Hold

As we've awaited more news from the outside world, we began to consider the tools we already have that inform our ideas beyond Akili and our notebooks. To synthesize our thoughts, we began to write to our great friends in the alphabet, the letters that allow us to compose thoughts for others to read. 

Isaiah made a collage of words that included his favorite letter, "I."

His lines make for nice poems: "Reaching Madison America Traits Being/ Missouri Fiction Eating Island."

Diva wrote to her favorite letter in the alphabet, "D," listing as many words as she could that began with its signature shape.

Bianca was letter-torn and so chose to write to three of her favorite symbols, "B," "H," and "D." Many of her choices appear to be informed by her special relationships with family and friends.

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Letters and Photos from Frank Relle

Chase was thrilled to get a rather large package from his penpal Photographer Frank Relle.

Chase observes his postcard and print collection that Frank sent.

Chase said that he wasn't sure what he felt when he saw the pictures but that they made him feel happy. He liked that they were dark but also light.