BOOKS PUBLISHED — Adalyn Swearingen, a student at John Gregg Elementary School, shares a book she wrote with her class with her father, Jake, during the First-Grade Showcase on March 5. First-graders penned “When We Grow Up” and “When I Grow Up,” which tells of their future career hopes as teachers, zookeepers and more and includes original illustrations. -- Contributed

BERGHOLZ — John Gregg Elementary’s littlest authors celebrated their classes’ latest collaboration with a special book-signing party on March 5.

Students in Melissa Trimmer and Haley Hashbarger’s first-grade classes unveiled “When We Grow Up” and “When I Grow Up,” collections of brief essays and illustrations they penned which describe what they hope to become as adults. Pre-ordered copies were available during the first-grade showcase at the school and include a common thread of teachers, veterinarians and military personnel as well as more intriguing careers such as a rock star, football player, artist and employees at Wendy’s and Denoon Lumber. The books, which are published through Studentreasures Publishing of Topeka, Kan., have kits with instructions and special paper for the students to write on.

“This is our fifth year,” said Trimmer. “We started working on it in November and sent it away to be published in January. They brainstormed ideas of what they wanted to be in the future and did graphic organizers to plan ideas. Then it went through rough drafts and editing and they illustrated their own page.”

Students also designed the covers and Trimmer noted they were all excited about the project.

“They loved it. They were so excited,” she added. “It’s our tradition. It’s better than a yearbook because they can see what the others wanted to be. In 10 years, they can pull it out to look at it at their graduation party. It is a great keepsake for parents and the teachers also like looking at it.”

“It was a cool experience and good for the kids,” Hashbarger said, adding it was her first year for the project.

Dozens of parents and grandparents got a chance to view the finished product during the showcase, which also included refreshments and crafts. Several students shared which jobs they liked and what they enjoyed most about writing the book.

“I want to work at Denoon Lumber because my dad works there,” said Brody Champion, who added that he liked drawing and spelling when it came to putting the book together. “I want to give it to my family for a gift.”

“I want to be a teacher to teach kids how to be respectful and because my mom is a teacher,” said Adalyn Swearingen, noting that she was excited about writing the book and giving it to her family.

Fellow student Lola Keister hopes to become a zookeeper and she also enjoyed the writing experience.

“I like keeping animals healthy,” she commented, saying she wanted to give her book to her parents.

Classmate Bryson Moses said he wants to be a gym teacher because he liked being on the move.

“I like to run a lot and I’d like to teach kids,” Moses continued.