The Thinks We Have Thunk (ACCA Creates! Summer 2023 Anthology)

The Thinks We Have Thunk

Edited & Compiled by: Danielle M. Jenkins

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.

-Dr. Seuss

Table of Contents (in order of submission)

Editor's Note

A Message from our Director

The Gingerbread Man by Ava Parejo

The Boy Who Wouldn't Eat by Nifez Fairley

Getting Stuck in Time by Thomas Eure

The Mr. Beast Party by Ansar Mack

Fairy Tale by Trinity Moltrie

The Life & Times of 16-Year-Old Mohammed by Mohammed Barry

A Blockcraft Story by Abdoulrahamne Diallo

The Scary Old Man by Aiden Varnado

Pizza by Janada Preston

The Lady in Disguise by Zara "The Best" Boye

Make Today Amazing by Victoria Benjamin

The Wishing Well by Talia Brown

Untitled by Brianna Burney

Happy Faces by Mohammed Barry

The Mad Libs Session Pt. I by The Yellow Group

The Mad Libs Session Pt. II by The Yellow Group

Boba by Talia Brown

Gogurt

by

Janada Preston

About My Weekend by Zara "The Best" Boye

I Love Boba by Zara "The Best" Boye

Peter the Pretzel by Fadima Barry

I Will Help My Life by Kennedy Bowman

If I Was Famous by Kennedy Bowman

Affirmations by Mohammed Barry

Destroying the World by Nifez Fairley

My Little Ghost Pt. I by Aria Stanley

My Little Ghost Pt. II by Aria Stanley

My Favorite Rapper by Roman Goolsby

My Happy Day by Aria Stanley

The Wilsons by Adame Kassim-Bah

Crystal Pink by Trinity Moltrie

Untitled Project by Nazani Martin

My Treasures by Fifame Amouzou

Traumatic Cycle by Nila Gregory & Amiyyah

Smith

Death by Ashanti "girl with strings for hair"

Perkins

Fit In by Ashanti "girl with strings for hair"

Perkins

Monster by Sahárra Miranda Jones-Bey

What I'm Going to Do by Fra'jon Drayton

The Years & Days I Was Sad by Fra'jon Drayton

The Turtle & The Mermaid by Joanna Amouzou

Editor's Note

Hello!

If you are reading this you have the honor of being part of the village of one of our amazing student artists. I am their creative writing teaching artist, Danielle M. Jenkins, known to your children as Mx. (pronounced mix, as in mixing ingredients together) Jenkins. Together, we have put together an anthology of some of the writing projects they have worked on in class Regardless of their age the students have read poetry, short stories, and plays, and have written across several different forms (fables, haikus, sonnets, etc.)

This might be a summer camp but your students have put in WORK. I would like for you all to imagine yourself ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, and even sixty years ago. I know that for the vast majority of us, reading was not how we would choose to spend the summer break we waited with bated breath for at the end of each school year. Yet the children put their best foot forward (at times begrudgingly but the point still stands) and did their best at reading different writings across time, culture, and form. I am so unbelievably proud of all of the students, both the ones who decided to publish their work and those who chose to keep their writings to themselves.

The writings before you have been submitted for publication by the writers themselves. All of their works are original, all I did was edit to ensure basic grammar and syntax rules were followed and digitized their work. If you do not see your student’s name in the table of contents, it means they chose to not submit a work to the anthology for publication. There are many reasons why they may not have chosen to publish into the more public platform of this summer ’ s anthology, but if your student is willing, please ask them to show you their notebook so you can see all the work they have put in over these past six weeks.

This has been such a deeply rewarding and enriching experience. Thank you for trusting us with your children. To my students, I will carry pieces of you with me for the rest of my life. I have taught you, but you have also made me reflect and learn about parts of myself I had not done before. Thank you for working even when you did not want to, for staying the course on super long days, and for tapping into your imagination I asked a lot from you all and you rose to the task

If you remember nothing else from Mx. Jenkins, please carry this with you: All good writing comes from good reading. Now go off and continue to be great!

Truly, Mx. Danielle M. Jenkins (they/them)

Yours

A Message From Our Director (Marcia

Heard, PhD)

I started writing in Kindergarten, first letters, then words, followed by short sentences. Then I discovered reading in earnest. It seems as though I read all the time. After high school, I learned about the OBAC Writer's Workshop, The Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC) founded by Conrad Kent Rivers (1933-1968), Hoyt W. Fuller (19231981),, and Gerald McWorter (b. 1942) with the support of Gwendolyn Brooks. But it wasn't until years later that I discovered my voice as a writer. After many years of writing poems and essays, it wasn't until I was writing my dissertation that I discovered that I am a writer. I hope it doesn't take you as long as it took me. Just remember: get your education. Be a thinker. Know your history. And use Carole Bailey's mantra: I love you. I respect you. I appreciate you. And as Ms. Dolly says, "Every day is a great day" and like the Whos of Whoville, declare, "I am Here! I am Here! I am Here!"

The Gingerbread Man by Ava Parejo

The Gingerbread Man was a nice cookie. He was crispy and he looked good. He was running away and everyone chased him. A fox told the Gingerbread Man that he could help the cookie cross the river. In a minute the fox opened his mouth and ate the Gingerbread Man.

The End

The Boy Who Wouldn’t Eat by Nifez Fairley

When I was playing my game, my Ma said “Come in and eat!”

I replied, “One more minute!”

She said, “Come in and eat NOW.”

I replied, “Ok Ma, I’m coming!”

I really just needed a little bit longer to play my game. She came upstairs, bust down my bedroom door, and screamed: “COME AND EAT NOWWWWW!!!!”

I could only agree as I started to cry.

Getting Stuck In Time by Thomas Eure

This story all started back at home when I was playing with a tennis ball. I was throwing it when it bounced back and hit the vase. I knew I had to think before my parents came back. I had broken other things the last few times they were away. If they saw that I broke the vase, they would ground me for the whole year!

I asked my siblings to come to help me to bring some parts so I could make a time portal to travel back in time to before I broke the vase. My siblings were interfering with the portal we made and I was not sure if I was going to escape! We made it out by the time I got out the door was locked but I remember there was a spare under the welcome mat but it was not there. I broke down the door but when I got in everything was different there. I did not see any photos of myself, there was nothing in my room until one of my siblings just vanished out of nowhere. But the portal was destroyed so we had to make a new portal. We found a useful part at the junkyard. Then we had to go to the lab but it was empty until yet another one of my siblings vanished!

There were only five of us left, not including me. I had already lost two so I needed to hurry before I lost all of them. We checked every lab we could find until we found one with the parts we needed. We got to work and while we were rushing to fix the portal, yet another one of my siblings disappeared! I started working faster but noticed parts of my body were vanishing as well. We were almost there, I just had to connect the machine to power and turn it on. I searched and searched but I could not find a power source! I suddenly remembered that I had brought a diamond with me. That should be enough, right? I connected the portal to the diamond and one by one my siblings started to come back.

The End

The Mr. Beast Party by Ansar Mack

Written in response to the prompt: If you could spend 48 hours with a person, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

The person I would spend two days with would be Mr. Beast. We would make YouTube videos and we would swim in a pool. The video would be about making the biggest pizza in the world and we would throw a pizza party.

Fairy Tale by Trinity Moltrie

What! Who will I pick to hang out with for 48 hours? I would hang out with BlackPink. Our first day together we would eat well and eat lots of candy. Then on the next day we would go to DisneyLand. My 48 hours has passed and now we all must go home ��.

I woke up with a start. Turns out it was just a bad dream.

The Life & Times of 16-Year-Old

Mohammed by Mohammed Barry

One day sixteen-year-old Mohammed was playing basketball.

He said, “I am never going to be good at it!”

It was in the morning at the basketball court when Mohammed made a realization. He said to himself,

“I suck at this! Maybe I should get a basketball teacher….that’s a good idea!”

After working hard with his coach Mohammed got better and better as the days passed.

“I’m so good at basketball now!”

A Blockcraft Story by

Abdoulrahamane Diallo

Jesus defeated the devil.

The Scary Old Man by Aiden Varnado

One day a little girl was walking down the street and then she saw an old man. The old man began chasing the girl with a knife! The girl ran all the way back to her house and managed to get there safely. But…when she turned around…..the man was inside her house.

Pizza by Janada Preston

I like my pizza with a lot of pepperoni and cheese. I bought another one and I asked for lots of cheese. I gave that pizza to my big brother.

The End

The Lady in Disguise by Zara

“The Best” Boye

Once upon a time there was a princess named Charlotte. Every girl wanted to be like her but everytime she went out with someone nobody would see them again. Only one person knew what she was up to, and that person was Jake. Jake knew that Charlotte tied up her victims in the woods. Charlotte always returned with suspicious red stains on her.

Jake told everyone in his school what he realized but nobody believed him because she was way too “nice” to do something like that. Jake had no choice but to prove his point. He went with Charlotte into the woods . She tied him up and he was never

Make Today Amazing by Victoria Benjamin

One day there was a little girl and boy. They were twins. Their names were Victoria and Victor. Their art teacher gave Victoria a cute bag and gave Victor a toy car. It was in the month of May and the twins shouted about how these were the best gifts they had ever received.

The art teacher said, “Enjoy kids! Do what you love with it.’ When Victoria looked on the side of the bag she saw it said “Girls Day”. Victor looked at his toy truck where, “Don’t forget. Today is the party” written on the side of it.

Looking at the truck, Victor knew he had not forgotten that tonight was the party. Victoria was looking for the sparkly dress she was going to wear that night to the party.

The Wishing Well by Talia Brown

When the boy went for a walk he found a wishing well. He said that if he put a coin down the well he would get money. So the boy went and got a coin. He put the coin in the well. The coin dropped in the well….and the boy fell along with it.

“Anyone!!!! Please help me!” His mom came rushing to find him. The boy was crying. He went to the hospital. The boy is fine now. The End.

Moral: Never go down a wishing well!

Untitled by Brianna Burney

Part I:

What will I be in nine years? Will I be a police girl? A doctor? A boss? Will I be rich? Will I be a teacher? Will I be poor? I just have to wait.

Part II:

What will I be? I am 29 years old. Will I get married? Will I be poor or rich? Will I be a teacher or will I own my own business. I don’t know. I guess I have to wait.

Part III:

What will I be in 60 years? Will I own my own home? Will I be poor? I just don’t know. I get so confused at times.

Happy Faces by Mohammed Barry

Today is sunny

Today is bright

I am h ��ppy

A Museum Mystery by The Yellow Group (Kieran Visosky & Khyre Mack)

Quiz: Fury v. Scaly Pets by Kieran Visosky & Khyre Mack

Boba by Talia Brown

This is me at 19 with Boba.

Gogurt by Janada Preston

I like Gogurt because it is the best.

About My Weekend by Zara “The Best” Boye

August 7, 2023

Hello! My name is Zara and my past weekend was really fun. On Saturday, I went to the beach and we got pizza, soda, and chips. Then on Sunday, I went to my aunt’s house. My uncles were there, even my uncle whom I have not seen in a long time.

I Love Boba by Zara “The Best” Boye

Boba is sweet and Yummy

��

And I love the popping ones

Peter the Pretzel by Fadima Barry

Hi, my name is Peter the Pretzel. I would get made fun of because of, my uhhh, holes. I live in Bakery Town with my mom and sister. My dad left me when Peonelope, my sister was born. I have no friends so I kind of play tea party with my sister.

EVERYDAY. I decided to go to the park without my sister, and on the swing, a bully came over and started laughing at me. The bully said to me, “HA, when you swing, I could feel the breeze through your holes!” He laughed as hard as he could. I just hate Billy Bread. I felt a tear begin to run down my face. I ran crying.

“HAHAHAHAHA”, I heard far away. “Cry baby! Cry baby! Cry baby!”

I soon went into the forest and I did not notice the rock. I suddenly tripped and landed on my face. I heard sirens, “WEEE— OOOOOO” in the distance.

I was suddenly picked up slowly, “It will be alright”, a voice said to me.

I tried to move but I couldn’t. I soon woke up at a hospital, I was laying on the bed. Everything was white. My mom on my left and my sister on my right. The doctor came in and said, “Peter will recover…in two months.”

“Two months?” I asked. I was more shocked than anyone in the room. I had to get out! I soon was floating in the air and left! What happened? Was it the rock? I had been transported to the hospital, back to the rock where I had tripped.

A light beamed up from the rock.

It said, “You are the chosen one. Here in Bakery Town there are unknown villains that live amongst us. It is your duty to save the town.”

Am I dreaming?

“No, you aren’t dreaming. And if you fail us, then we will take your powers for good. Your first mission is the following: two string cheese men will rob the bank in two minutes. You must hurry.”

“But how do I -?” I began to ask when the rock disappeared.

I soon turned buff and flew to the bank. The string cheeses ran but I was faster. Later, I tripped and the men got stuck in my pretzel gaps. Later, mom showed up.

“Did you do this?” she asked.

How’d she know it was me? But forget about that, for the first time I am proud of my holes. The police soon came and took the bad guys. Ten months later, I was in the park and saw Billy.

“I’m sorry for bullying you. ”

I ignored him. And that’s how I became a hero.

I Will Help My Life by Kennedy Bowman

When I am sixteen I will be a gymnastics coach and have a lot of money. I will have the best life ever. When I get my driver’s license my fifth car will be a Tesla Model X from that year. I will be a doctor when I get older. I will help sick people. I will be a nice person and go to church every day. I will take care of my mom and my grandparents. I won’t spend all my money. I will have a house and car. That is a good amount of money for my first car. I will get a two-seater and the car will be a green G-Wagon.

If I Was Famous by Kennedy Bowman

If I became a famous singer I would collaborate with Coi Leray. Our song would be a rap song. We would go on tour in Korea, New York, Japan, Europe, and Florida. I would have a 10 million dollar house in Dubai and I will not pay rent. My stage name would be Haven Parker and my aesthetic and personality would be preppy.

Affirmations by Mohammed Barry

Say these at least once a day in front of a mirror:

I know I am brave.

I know I am kind.

I know I am the best.

I know I can do anything I want to do.

I know I can do a great job at everything.

I know I am brave.

Destroying the World by Nifez Fairley

It all started off one scary night. It was raining when two boys were running to the store. Lightning struck both of the boys and they fainted on their journey to the store. When they came to, they awoke with mysterious powers. One could run faster than light and the other boy could fly high in the sky. The boys were in so much pain after being struck by lightning, that they promised each other to destroy the world so that everyone can be in as much as they are in.

Little did they know about another child who grew up in New York. This child was even stronger than the two boys. They fought a tough battle, but he defeated the two boys who were so determined to destroy the world.

My Little Ghost Pts. I & II by Aria Stanley

My little ghost hangs with her friends. They love each other and love hanging out. The ghost is tiny and very shy. She goes to ghost school. She dances and haunts people’s homes.

My little ghost made a friend. She loves her new friend. They hug each other. They hug me and dance with me. They love me.

My Favorite Rapper by Roman Goolsby

If I could pick a person to spend 48 hours with, it would my little twin Future who is a rapper. He is technically older than me but we have the same hair and skin color which is why I call him my twin. We would make TikToks. We would even film music videos together. Then we would travel and go home to his house. We would spend the day there. When he would wake up, he would make us breakfast of waffles with syrup and cereal. We would spend a couple of hours swimming and playing in the pool and hot tub. We would watch Puss & Boots: The Last Wish and then spend the rest of our day at Legoland. At the end of the long but really fun weekend he would take me home.

My Happy Day by Aria Stanley

Today is rainy so we are not going outside. I went to the fair with my mother and brother because my sister is with my cousin. I am going to eat smores when I get home.

The Wilsons �� by Adame Kassim-Bah

They were snuggled up in their tiny beds not ever noticing that their window had cracked. It was a rainy night at 8:30 PM. There was a big flood down at Redville. They were The Wilsons, one son and three daughters who all shared the same room: Joey, Ann, Lenna, Chole.

Joey hated his siblings very much. He was the oldest child and wished he was the only one too. When the window cracked, it had startled Mrs. Wilson. She squinted her eyes at the clock while tying her robe.

“Uh, sweetheart…wake up. I think the neighbor’s kids broke our window again.” she said.

Now, Mrs. Wilson was a stubborn lady. She wanted everything to be her way. Unfortunately for her, her husband was a deep sleeper.

She went downstairs timidly.

“AAAAAHHHHH!!!!:” Her scream woke up Mr. Wilson.

“Bloody heck!” Mr. Wilson yelled as he stumbled down the stairs. He began to feel water on his toes. He fainted causing one big splash.

“Ugh so useless!” grumbled Mrs. Wilson

“What’s all this noise about?” Joey asked annoyedly. As he turned the light on water squirted upon the family from the window.

It had woken up his younger sisters, who could barely speak from the shock of seeing the water in their home. They began to cry from fear. Their cries were so loud it cracked open the window letting in even more water. The family paid no attention at all to the water around them for they were too busy arguing with one another.

“Stop!” yelled Joey. “If we want to stop the flood we must work together.”

The family nodded in agreement and began to board up the window. At the end, their house was sealed and they got a brand new window.

“Teamwork makes the dream work.”

The Wilsons could only nod in agreement.

The End =)

Crystal Pink by Trinity Moltrie

Once upon a time

My favorite color is Pink and Purple

Its cute and I like it Crystal Pink

Untitled Project by Nazani Martin (this is an excerpt from an in-progress project)

Chapter One

Last year, in Lakewood, Washington everything changed forever. Emma Brooks was a junior in high school. Everything was perfect. She was in the popular clique, her amazing boyfriend Brian was the captain of the football team. And her other secret boyfriend was the captain of the basketball team. But three months before she did something terrible.

It was the middle of summer. She was at a party. She and her boyfriend had gone off to spend some time alone. Just then, they found their long-time friend Danny, hands covered in blood, standing over a body that appeared to be dead. In a panic, they closed the door and whispered, “What the heck, Danny?”

“Yeah, what the heck!” Brian said.

“I……it was an accident. W-w-we-we an-and we were talking about this girl and it just spiraled from there. Help me, please, I-I need you to help me. ” he cried.

“Please just pick up an arm or a leg. I need to get him out of here.”

“Wait a minute, who even is this guy?” Brian asked. “He’s the boyfriend of this girl I was seeing last month. He found out about it, like, two weeks ago. He’s been sending me threats ever since.”

“Well I would do the same thing if I found out you were seeing my girlfriend,” Brian said sarcastically.

“Dude this is not the time to be sympathetic.” Danny said frustratedly.

“Ok, can we please focus on getting the DEAD BODY out of here ?!?” Emma said.

“Yeah, she’s right.” Danny said.

“Now we focus.”

“How are we supposed to get him out of here?”

“....throw him out the window?” Brian said not really sure what he was saying.

“Are you stupid? There are a bunch of people out there.”

Emma said as the only logical thinker in the room.

“How about we wrap him up in the rug?”

“Ok, yeah that seems like a much better idea.” Danny said now thinking like Emma.

“Yeah we just have to sneak out the back door without anyone seeing the dead body in our hands.” Emma said, scared once again.

“Yeah, that shouldn’t be too hard.” Brian said sarcastically.

“Hey wait a minute. Is that a door?” Emma said.

TO BE CONTINUED

My Treasures by Fifame Amouzo

Gabriella had two cats: one was an orange shorthair and the other a black shorthair. Her mother had gifted them to her a year before her passing. The cats were one of the few she had from her mom, they meant a lot to her. One day Gabi came back home and called out to her cats.

“Lizzy (the orange cat) and Lucky (the black cat)! I am home!”

Gabriella exclaimed.

Unsurprisingly, her cats didn’t come to greet her. They usually just lazily sat in their bed and played with their toys. Gabi walked towards the playroom but didn’t see them, she didn’t panic and assumed they just went to her room. Gabi walked up the steps and opened her room. She didn’t see her cats. She was worried but still she didn’t panic. Gabi looked everywhere but she couldn’t find her cats.

“NONONONONO!!!!” Gabi panicked.

Tears pooled at the corner of her eyes. She saw the door in the kitchen was open. Her cats had left the house. She ran out and yelled for her cats. Finally, she found them.

“No, God no, please no. ”

Gabi fell to her knees in horror. Her cats lay ran over in her driveway, blood all over her tires and the road.

Traumatic

Cycle

by Nila Gregory & Amiyyah Smith

Pt 1

She woke up and said good morning to her boyfriend

She got up and made breakfast for her boyfriend

She went on a cute date with her boyfriend

She went home with her boyfriend

She made dinner for her boyfriend

She went to bed and Said goodnight to noone

Her boyfriend had died in a car accident two years ago and she is still grieving.

Imagine being inlove

Grieving so deep that you ’ ve been Manifesting this man you

Have been loving is still there

When really its like life

Everyday lived is a day we Don't get back

Death by Ashanti “girl with strings for hair” Perkins

Death is hard

Crucial, unexpected and unknown

Tell me how do I cope?

With feelings of sadness, unnested and alone.

Death is hard.

You never know in some cases

Maybe life is hard for some

As disguised with smiles on their faces.

Death is hard.

Seing you leaving.

Tell me how am I to understand?

With this confusion within my hands.

Death is hard.

It’s like an eternal scar.

Fit In by Ashanti “girl with strings for hair” Perkins

Sometimes I ask myself where do I fit in? everywhere, nowhere or girl just blend in They want me to change my everything, So I’ll become nothing.

How can a girl like me fit in?

tall, black and just thin. they want me to change my mental So I’ll become superficial.

How can she fit in?

all looks and stares she get from ‘ em. they want me to change my everything, So I’ll become nothing.

Where do I fit in.

Should we ask how she’s been?

Maybe I should blend

but I know I’ll still never fit in.

Monster by Sahárra Miranda

Jones-Bey

In the room alone there’s a voice it leads me with a choice I try to repel but it is oh so strong the voice sounds horribly wrong, but i follow the room feels so shallow. he lends me his hand. I take it feeling bland he takes me through a place, then I was never seen again

What I’m Going to Do by Fra’jon Drayton

So I was going down South to see my aunt’s house to get a doubie and to go to Six Flags. I also wanted to go see the Teen Kraken movie. I am going to miss my BFFs and the camp.

The Years & Days I Was Sad by Fra’jon Drayton

One day my cat passed away when I was four. One night my mom told me my dad died when I was seven. Sassy is my dog who I love. Recently my mom gave my dog away. I was so mad to hear that news. After getting all that news, I was depressed that they all had left me.

The Turtle & The Mermaid by Joanna

Amouzou (this story is in progress)

The turtle is very nice and the mermaid is very shy. The mermaid has pink hair and a pink tail. The mermaid is shy because she is scared. She is swimming at the beach and so is the turtle. They became friends after seeing each other at the beach. The End!