4 Thursday, May 9, 2013
MICHIGAN K.I.D.S. | WWW.DNIE.COM
Kids Making News
Writing for Jackie
When Griffin Miller’s 5th grade teacher
Ms. Claudette Daniels introduced the
class to the Major League Baseball and
Scholastic, “Breaking Barriers” essay
contest, Griffin knew he wanted to write,
even though other subjects like science
and math are his favorites. The Doherty
Elementary student learned about
Jackie Robinson and the barriers the
player broke, as well as the nine values
demonstrated: commitment, citizenship,
courage, determination, excellence,
justice, persistence, teamwork, and
integrity.
“I was inspired by the nine qualities,”
said Griffin. In the winning essay, Griffin
shared his own obstacles, or barriers, and
how he has overcame the loss of sight.
Wrote Griffin, “Ever since birth, I have
been blind. I couldn’t see like ‘normal’
kids, people that can see. But I kept
persisting, like Jackie Robinson…Like
Jackie Robinson, sometimes I experience
people calling me ‘different’ or ‘weird.’
I don’t let things like their negativity or
underestimation of me stop me either.”
(See Griffin’s full essay on Page 5.)
Griffin told us sometimes he might hear
something mean from people, but then “I
get it out of my head.”
Griffin is happy he attends regular
school in West Bloomfield and can use
technology in his work, using Braille and
other programs His classmates have been
supportive, says teacher Ms. Claudette
Daniels, and heard his essay even before
he won as part of a classroom writing
celebration. He was in his science lab last
month when he found out he won – the
prize will include a laptop computer, the
book by Jackie Robinson’s daughter,
Sharon, and t-shirts for the whole class.
He is getting a program to use on the
laptop that works with using voice
commands.
Griffin is not planning on being a writer
when he’s older, but he does think he’ll do
something using math. “My mom calls me
the ‘human calculator’,” said Griffin, who
is already doing math that a junior in high
school would do. Griffin told us he thinks
his loss in sight may make the part of his
brain dealing with math even sharper. His
advice to anyone facing obstacles, small
or large, “Don’t give up.”
Congratulations, Griffin!
More Winners
The Detroit Tigers also honored Jackie
Robinson with an art, essay and poetry
contest. Congratulations to the creativity
shown in every entry from all the winners.
You can see the entries on the Detroit
Tigers’ website, http://detroit.tigers.mlb.
com/det/community/education.jsp.
Photo by Claudette Daniels
By Cathy Collison
Griffin Miller is a national second-prize winner in
the “Breaking Barriers” essay contest.
Photo Courtesy of Detroit Tigers
Local essay, art and poetry winners met Tigers’ Torii Hunter. From left, Alexys Levins of Chesterfield
Township, Anja Nelem of Waterford, Julia Meguid of Shelby Township, Chloe Jennings of St. Clair
Shores, Rajiea Sultana of Detroit, and Qayyim Carr of Southfield.