It’s both our annual gala AND a family-friendly, interactive festival!
Celebrate the creativity of Chicago’s youth!
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 2023/24 School Year!
Carly Ciarrocchi is an Emmy-nominated performer, writer, musician, and producer. She has spent most of her career in children’s media, hosting TV shows like Sunny Side Up (Sprout), Snug’s House and The Big Fun Crafty Show (Universal Kids), and Weird But True (Disney+). All four shows earned Daytime Emmy nominations. As a producer and writer, she’s worked with Nick Jr, Amazon Kids, PBS Kids, and Sesame Workshop. She’s written music for Sprout/Universal Kids and is a vocalist/songwriter on two Grammy Award-winning children’s albums. Carly hosts multiple kids’ podcasts including Tinkercasts’ Who When Wow: Mystery Edition and Pinna’s Hey Story Go! She also serves as co-creator/producer on the latter. Carly is also a speaker and emcee, working often with the LEGO Foundation and other organizations that advocate for creativity and play. Whether she’s talking to preschoolers or policymakers, her work invites all ages to create, imagine, explore, fail, connect, bounce, wonder, feel and play more - together.
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, An At-Home Dungeons & Dragons Session With a Professional D.M., Dining Packages, Theatre tickets, and MORE! Stay tuned for a preview and get those bids ready!
By Siddesh, 4th Grade, Skinner West Elementary
There were two best friends, Wasaki and Bob. They were aliens that come from a planet called Spuim. Wasaki and Bob create a spaceship that travels faster than light using all the amazing technology of aliens. They decide to go to a random place in the universe.
3.. 2… 1 .. TAKE OFF!!!They end up going so fast that they reach a new planet in 2 seconds. It looks red, dry, and there are no aliens there. They go back into the spaceship and as soon as they quickly turn it on and off, they reach a new planet.
It is white and has lots of big holes on it. Bob wants to go farther, but Wasaki senses aliens on the planet.They look around, and Wasaki senses were half correct .There were people, real human beings! They capture the aliens and bring them to earth. The End
By Evelyn G, Columbia Explorers Academy
Once upon a time there was a really tall big man he was a dad. Him the tall man was called Alex, and the girls name were Emely and Karla. So the girls wanted to tell the tall dad something but they couldn’t because he was so tall. One day the tall man wanted to drive to target but he couldn’t because he was so tall. So then he try to go walking and he went to Target so he could work but he couldn’t because he was the tallest man so when the wall man went to Target to buy something everyone was looking at him because he was tall. So then he ran away from Target because everyone was looking at him so he left and started to cry. So he never eat nothing all the time he was too hungry so he ate. So he was so happy because when he ate all of a sudden he turns as a real dad not that big. The End.
By Angelina & Natalie, 3rd Grade, Kinzie Elementary School
Setting: house -Kid: ho I got a loose tooth (shocked)
Fairy: ho he got a loose tooth (happy)
Kid: I wonder if the tooth fairy will come (excited)
Fairy: ho I’m going to be there(sneaky)
Kid: I am going to bed early(happiily)
Fairy: I am going to take all of his teeth (happy)
Kid: When I woke up all my teeth were gone, and looked under my pillow and got a tooth brush. And a note that said better brush your teeth (Sad)
Fairy: I was the one that took the teeth. The End.
By Shari S, Super 7 Girls After School Program
Dear Alicia Keys,
When I saw that you stopped wearing makeup I was really happy. Most women think they MUST wear makeup to look beautiful. But when you stopped you showed other women and girls that you don’t have to worry about what others think you look like. YOU should like what you look like. If you’re satisfied, that’s all that matters. Also I’m sorry if my handwriting isn’t as good as it should be. And I love your music.
Sincerely,
Shari S.
By Darrell F, 4th Grade, Dvorak School of Excellence
Rights are for every person, even black and whites. Without rights this world would not be right. People used to be slaves but the president of Chicago back in the day said so slaves in Chicago. Then Harriet Tubman made the railroad. So now, African Americans are yelling for justice on the street blocking traffic. They feel mad because whites get more than blacks. Because we didn’t get to go to school. They had clean indoor bathrooms, we had disgusting outdoor bathrooms. So now they are walking down the street holding signs for justice. When 2016 came the world got even better. The leader of the group of Justice is named Jacob. He feels mad because we can’t get a job because we’re black. He’s saying “Justice is for all”. THE END
By Fernando, 3rd Grade, Lorca Elementary School
The yome cowe was so yome a secrol bet his legs now he has 3 legs. The yome cowe went to the beech a dog bet his eir off now he has 1 eir. The yome cowe went to the [ark a cat bet his tel now he hos no tel. The End
By David C, 4th Grade, Columbia Explorers Academy
Dear Mayor,
I think that anyone can work at Subway no matter any age from 10-90 because some kids need money and cookies give them energy to work. My other reason is kids can bring broccoli soup so they can go in the teachers room. Another reason is some kids can learn math from counting money. In conclusion I think that kids can work at Subway any age. 10 or older.
By Christian, 4th Grade, Poe Classical School
Once upon a time there was a boy named Nick. He lived in a mansion in LA California. He always earn money by writing stories. Right now he has 100,000,000 dollars in the bank. His mom does not like his stories and her name was Emily. She told him to write biographies. “Please mother,” Nick pleaded. “Just write one long biography about Steve Wonder” said Emily. When he wrote the 9 paragraph page, his mother was satisfied. “I am really proud of you, Nick.” she said.
By Kanyn, 4th Grade, Poe Classical School
Once upon a time, there was a girl named moisture. She was born in 9073. She was named moisture because she was born during a thunderstorm. He wanted some friends. But she couldn’t find any. The next day, a girl named chicken flavored seasoning packet came along (Or you can call her “chickie”) Chickie and moisture became friends emediatly. They had so much in common so they played. And lived happily ever after!
The end!
Moral: Don’t be afraid that you can’t find friends, but you really can if you try to accomplish it!
By Lucy , 6th Grade, Erie Elementary
Once there was two best friends named Emily and Lissette. They had everything in common. They were at the park at 6:00pm. When something really bad happened. Lissette found out that Emily hated ice cream. Lissette got mad and they had a fight. They kept on fighting until 9:00pm. They didn’t talk to each other for two weeks. Meanwhile Emily was crying and eating ice-cream. One day Lissette came to her door to say “Sorry I shouldn’t have judged you just because we didn’t have something in common, will you forgive me?” “No I can not!” Said Emily with more tears in her face. And then she slipped and said “Just kidding! He He He!” And then they went to the pizza place. The End!!!
