The Chronicles of Imagination: A Collaborative Journey

A unique creative art and writing endeavor on the middle school campus was realized this fall. Educational Technologist John Park, whose vision sparked the idea, had longed to create a collaborative book project, yet it had remained unrealized until teachers Braelynn Riggs and Lynnae Talavera, along with their students, brought it to life this semester.

Creative writing elective teacher Braelynn Riggs guided her students through a process of imagination. They explored broad creative prompts, allowing their creativity to flow and participated in a Writer’s Circle, where students anonymously shared their work for feedback. After students narrowed their writing prospects down to a singular story, they started developing their piece and an accompanying personal quote.

While Rigg’s class developed their stories, Lynnae’s digital arts students used their foundational skills in Adobe Fresco to create visual interpretations of the stories that particularly resonated with them. Simulating the real-world challenge of creating art without having the full context of the story, Talavera’s artists were only given a synopsis to work from. 

Freshman Bryson Huffman, whose artwork graced the cover, blended elements from four of his favorite stories. "I was excited because I knew the book was going to be in the library," he said. "But I was surprised mine was selected." He spoke highly of his classmates, noting the competitive yet supportive nature of the selection process that included multiple rounds of voting that led to his piece being selected.

For seventh grade student writer Josiah Huang, the class offered both freedom and challenge. "It pushed us to our limits so we could create better stories," he said.

Anusha Mehta, another student writer, was thrilled with the artistic interpretation of her story. "I really liked the way they interpreted my work; it was very vibrant," the seventh grader said. "When I saw it in person, I thought: Oh my gosh! I can’t believe my work is in a book!"

Talavera emphasized the significance of finally seeing the blending of storytelling and artistry in print, remarking, "It is really special to have a tangible copy."

Both teachers envision expanding this project into a year-long course, with hopes of seeing multiple volumes line the school library shelves.

For all involved, The Chronicles of Imagination was more than just a project—it was the realization of a dream, a creative milestone, and a testament to the collaborative spirit between writers and artists.