Video: Local Author Inspires Former Students to Write Their Own Story

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CALHOUN CITY, Miss. (WCBI) — One local author and former teacher is giving back to the first students she taught in school. Calhoun City Elementary students are getting the chance of a lifetime this year as they write their own Christmas stories, alongside their former teacher. The stories will all be judged by a panel and one will be selected to be published.

Christmas seems a lifetime away during the month of August, especially to children. But thoughts of Santa, mistletoe, and hot chocolate have filled the minds of these gifted students at Calhoun Elementary.

That’s because they were challenged at the beginning of the school year to write a story about the holiday, and they have help from a professional author.

“When I was growing up, I was very involved in sports but I was also involved academically too. It wasn’t necessarily the cool thing to do but it was something I had a love and a passion for. I always loved to write and when I was 25 and published my first book, it was just amazing to actually hold that book in my hand and know that it was something I had accomplished. At this age, it was something I thought could never happen,” said author, Whitney White.

White left her job as a teacher to become a full time author. She’s written three children’s books for the holiday season. Now, she’s back, helping the next generation become authors. The students will present their story to a panel of judges, but only one will be published and one will be featured as the illustrator in hopes of taking home money for college.

“It’s a good sum of money and it’s a great opportunity for them and we wanted to let them know that it’s the same thing when you graduate high school. There are scholarships out there, you just have to find them,” said White.

For the students, its about using imagination.

“It’s so amazing that I get to write my own story cause I like to read and I want to know what it felt like to have other kids read my book,” said 4th grader, Lemarius Brownlee.

“Being able to write our own book because I thought I would never do all that and stuff because it’s kind of a big thing,” said fourth grader, Brady Coleman.

The winners will be announced next Thursday night at the Calhoun City Octoberfest. They will host a book signing at the Christmas Parade in December. Books will be sold at the Octoberfest next week and in local Calhoun City stores for $8.