A group of 6th grade students recently participated in an ELA extension group where they read the novel Pax by Sarah Pennypacker in small groups. After finishing the book, students worked with Mrs. McCarthy in the media center to create projects for the #CreateConnectCare Challenge, which encourages youth to express ideas about care, connection, and mental health.
Students selected a focus area such as stigma, connection, or anxiety and chose a creative medium—including painting, short films, poetry, and more—to share their ideas. They also completed journal prompts and a creative writing piece imagining what might happen after the novel ends, reflecting on Peter’s feelings after leaving Pax and Pax’s life in the wild.
Through creativity and reflection, students connected literature to meaningful conversations about emotions, mental health, and self-expression.
