"Book Publishing Project" Grant recipient and Thompson Brook School teacher, Brendan Lynch, and his fifth grade class wrote and published a book of advice for kids. It's called Just Don't Do It: 1,665 Things You Should Never Do and it's for sale at Amazon and Barnes & Noble at these links: Just Don't Do It: 1,665 Things You Should Never Do (Amazon) and Just Don't Do It: 1,665 Things You Should Never Do (Barnes & Noble).

Upon receiving the grant award in June 2015, Mr. Lynch said: "Given my positive experience with the AEF in the past, I am thrilled to once again have the opportunity to give students the chance to experience something new. I hope that my book project will open up their eyes to all the behind the scenes work that goes into the books they read. Years ago, I taught students how to write, film, and edit 30-second commercials. They were always shocked by how much work goes into a product that only lasts for seconds. I know that the "shock factor" will be similar here. Perhaps even more so. 

Planning, writing, revising, and editing a book is plenty. Now throw in book layout, formatting, working with designers, along with other twists along the way. Without this funding from the AEF, I couldn't offer the entire beginning to end experience for students. A decade ago, a project like this wouldn't even be possible without an investment in the tens of thousands of dollars. However, with a little know-how, and today's technology, students could pull this off for under $1000, which is the goal."

The AEF is so proud of all of the students reaching their goal!! Their story was featured in an article in The Valley Press on August 25th (http://bit.ly/2cIgIE9)