Celebration of Authors is sponsored by WINTRUST BANK
Purchase Tickets!
It’s both our annual gala AND a family-friendly, interactive festival!
Silent Auction! Games! Food + Drinks! Open Bar for adult guests! 360 Photo Booth! And of course, LIVE performances of stories written by our students for the 2024/25 School Year!
Attire: Fancy Schmancy where you can come Fancy – dressed to the nines in your best attire. Or you can come Schmancy – with a silly hat or funny outfit that expresses YOU!
You can bid on our amazing Silent Auction Prizes at the event, or remotely from anywhere! Silent Auction items include: A Trip to Mexico with Vidanta Resorts, A Sailing Excursion, An At-Home Dungeons & Dragons Session, Dining Packages, Sports Tickets, Theatre Tickets, and MORE! Stay tuned for a preview and get those bids ready!
This is the most affordable & most FUN Gala in town!
Tickets include food, drinks, a show, and activities for all ages!
Adult Regular Priced Tickets —$75
Youth Regular Price Tickets, ages 4 to 15 —$50
Children 3 years of age and under can attend for FREE
Mary Winn Heider is the author of over 30 books for kids, including THE LOSERS AT THE CENTER OF THE GALAXY, THE UNICORNS WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS, and THE STUPENDOUS SWITCHEROO series, which she co-created with Chad Sell. Mary Winn’s very first novel, THE MORTIFICATION OF FOVEA MUNSON, was based on her time working in a real life cadaver lab, and now that it’s a musical. In a School Library Journal column a few years ago, Betsy Bird wrote, “In an era of information overload, Mary Winn Heider is the author who will lead us through the pandemonium into the light.” Mary Winn’s books have been on state lists, appeared on Bank Street Best Books, received Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection status, been long-listed for the Edgar Award, and landed on Indies Introduce and Indie Next lists.But before all of that, Mary Winn was a company member with Playmakers Lab, where she spent a decade pretending to be a chicken, an astronaut, and a princess, and sometimes, all three at once.
This event is a fundraiser to support PML’s outstanding creative writing programming in partnership with Chicago Public Schools. 100% of the tickets proceeds will support PML classes! For 28 years PlayMakers Laboratory has served Chicago Public School students by providing a creative writing residency program aimed primarily at elementary schools. Our company of over 60 teaching artists utilize creative drama and storytelling to promote literacy and self esteem during our in-school residencies and park district programming. Each year, our programs serve more than 4,000 young people across Chicago. In our 6 week writing residencies, a whopping 88% of students improve writing scores by at least one level over the course of our residencies. Plus, 100% of classroom teachers report that our program supports their student’s writing and improves confidence and self-esteem.
By Karolina C., Avondale-Logandale School
Salen del pueblo para poder darle una nueva vida a su familia.
Y hacen cosas para que la policía no los maltrate por ser Mexicanos.
No son impactantes. Son pobres. A penas compran para comer y mandar dinero a su familia, dinero para
su madre, su padre y sus hermanos.
EL FIN. (FIN)
English translation:
Immigrant Men by Karolina C
They leave their villages to give their families a new life.
And they do things so the police doesn’t abuse them for being Mexican.
They’re not showy. They’re poor. The just buy enough to eat and send money to their famiies, money
for their mother, father and brothers.
By Shari S., Cather School, Super 7 Girls Program
Everyone knows that Obama is and has been President since 2008. But it isn’t easy being President. Bush always sneaks whooping cushions into Barack’s seat. It made a big fart noice like ftft. All the guards would laugh like Bush, then Barack would throw a banana pudding in his face, and the guard would spit it at him (quapov) but it didn’t smell so good. Barrack would laugh until Michelle asks where her homemade banana pudding is but Barrack would always say the guards ate it. And she would kick them both (Phow). At the end of the day barrack would get in the elevator and would really fart and killed everyone. Sasha said daddy you stink. Everyone died so Barrack lived in an apartment until he farted in this sleep and died. THE END.
By Kassandra, Josue, Tony, Jaivin, Miley, Nate, & Thomas, Prieto Math and Science Academy
One dark Halloween night Brad was in a haunted house in chi town. A vampire who he thought was fake jumped out at him. But it wasn’t fake and the vampire bit Brad and sucked his blood. He ran with dizziness to his mom’s house. He was scared. His mom put two little pieces of toilet paper on the bites but the vampire followed him. The vampire bit his mom! She was too weak and turned into a vampire. Brad decided to bite the vampire to get his blood back. He sucks all the blood out of the vampire, the vampire turned all white and died. Brad got really dizzy, his face turned red, and he died. The mom is still a vampire and kept turning people into vampires into the whole world was a vampire. To be continued! THE END.
By Khamaria C., Dixon Elementary School
Once upon a time there was a witch named nasty Bella she once lived I a bright home the time flew past as she got older and older he house got darcker and darcker she never cleaned it. I was filled of old sunflower seeds, Bananna pells, dusty brooms, spoiled and rotten eggs. Her house had no A.C. She could breathe but no one else could her cat did nearly 5 years ago. Form no air to breathe. When ever someone tried to come in her house she’d hurt them with her special knife until January 11, 1995 she decided to clean her house she cooked and brang family she wanted to change her life style. The end.
By Everett R., Loyola Park After-School Program
The Man who was supposed to be president, Albert Olive, put his hand on his head and said, “This is not going as planned, this is not going as planned.” Then he shouted “This is not going as planned!” Then his assistant, Oliver, tried to get all the people to vote for Mr. Olive. He tried to convince the people saying “Please! Pick this nice person”. So the people said “OK.” But some of them lied, and Mr. Olive became second in command. THE END.
By Diante P. and Miles B., Learn Elementary School, Campbell Campus
Characters: Diante (Werewolf) and Michael (the Dad)
Setting: The Woods
Michael: (Serious) Son go and hunt some food.
Diante: (Scratching his ear) Dad I can’t I’m gonna get hurt.
Michael: (Mad) Son you’re not going to get hurt.
Diante: (Crying) All right Dad.
Michael: (happy) Now go out there son and hunt some deer.
Diante: (Dead) Heeeeeellp Dad!!!!!
Michael: (running) (Crying) I’m sorry son! I will always love you.
The End.
By Octavio R., Columbia Explorers Academy
There was once a game show called U Can’t Win. The game show host was called Dorito and his assistant was named Elmo. He was the one who escorted the people out of the stage. The contestants were Al Gore, a woman named Helga and Pete construction worker.
Dorito: Welcome to your favorite show U Can’t Win. Our contestants today are Al Gore, Helga and Pete construction worker. Our first question is for Helga. Here is the question. How many shoes?
Helga: What is the rest of the question?
Dorito: That’s the question.
Helga: OK. 7.
Dorito: Sorry the answer is 9 because U Can’t Win! (audience cheering) Our next question is for Pete construction worker. The question is, in Alaska the snow is…
Pete: That’s easy the answer is meatloaf.
Dorito: Sorry, the answer is meatloaf.
Pete: That’s what I said.
Dorito: Sorry but I didn’t hear you because U Can’t Win (audience cheering).
Pete: Dis is not fair.
(He attacks Dorito. Elmo comes out and takes Pete off stage. And he says Elmo knows
where you live.)
Pete: I’ll be back.
Dorito: Pete construction worker and Helga have been disqualified. Al Gore you havebeen chosen to go into super sudden death. You’re gonna have to eat 300 meatballs in ten seconds (audience cheering).
Al Gore: I sure do love meatballs.
(Dorito starts counting sown, when he reached 3 Al Gore says he’s finished)
Dorito: Sorry, that was 303 meatballs cause U Can’t Win.
Al Gore: I demand a recount.
(Helga comes out a grabs Dorito and throws him to the audience and he yells U Can’t
Win.)
The End.
By Cristian O. and Antonio S., Lorca Elementary School
Characters: Potatohead, Son, Soldiers, and Russian Soldier
Setting: Russian War
MP: (he is walking) Aaah fresh air.
S: (guns shooting) we need reinforcements.
MP: (scared) wha-what’s going on here.
S: (solider sees Mr. Potatohead) He says get out of her cause you are going to die or get hurt!
M.P.: My son is where the Russian soldiers are man that I don’t know.
S: (screaming) hurry up bring more tanks there is a potato civilian in enemy building!
M.P.: (sad) give me my son or I am going in to get him.
S: All right all right we are going to get your son!
M.P.: Oh my goddnes I am going to bet my son!
Hours later
R.S.(talking to a radio) hurry bring our tanks and choppers. (R.S. dies)
S: (throws grenade) Hurry move it.
The End.
By Sofia V., Loyola Park After-School Program
Once there was a girl named Sofia. She found a time traveling train and got on and started to drive. She passed every time period she could imagine. The first life on earth, then the dinosaurs, sometime after came ancient Egypt, then sometime after that came the civil war, and so on. She made a stop in the middle of the ocean. Why? She was waiting for a pirate ship! (duh!) soon some pirates appeared. Well, I wouldn’t say “appeared” because they didn’t just pop out of nowhere! She secretly snuck onboard and blended in with the crew. She spent about 3 hours there before she wanted to leave on the train. She said goodbye to her pirate friends. Next she traveled to Queen Victoria’s time. A sign was down at the docks. “Queen Victoria welcomes you to London!” it said. Then it slipped around and the sign was covered with fire there was a picture of Queen Victoria holding knives. It now read unless you’re a pirate! I guess it’s time to go! Bye! She got back on the train and drove home. THE END.
By Donachie C., Loyola Park After-School Program
In the cave of darkness. Donald Trump was talking to a bear. And then nothing. The bear scratched Donald Trump’s face off. And then ate his bones. And then he ate the blood and skin for dinner. Then Donald Trump has his death. THE END.
