JL Simpson Middle School – Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Conversing with 7th grade students of JL Simpson MS

Met JL Simpson MS’s fantastic 7th grade students (11 classes!) and their educators via google meets this morning and yesterday morning. Most were familiar with Winterkill, Enough and Making Bombs for Hitler. I spoke of my own struggles with reading when I was a kid and how failing 4th grade and how that shaped me as a writer. The students’ questions demonstrated a lot of empathy and awareness of world events. Here are some of my fave pics. Thank you, Jennifer Maulfair for organizing!

Ms Maulfair passed on this feedback from the sessions:

“The reason why I am giving the presentation a 5 star review is because when she was explaining all the things that had happened to her I could just imagine how much she went through, and I was really into it.” JL Simpson, 7th Grade student, Leesburg, VA

“It was interesting to hear about Ms. Skrypuch’s early life and all of her challenges as a child. She also did a great job of answering complicated questions in a simple way.” JL Simpson, 7th Grade student, Leesburg, VA

Swing, fluttering paper, memories

I just received the most beautiful package of letters and cards from students and staff at JL Simpson MS (Virginia) in response to 6 virtual visits over two days that we did together a few weeks ago. Jeannine and I had corresponded about this for about a year and I was very impressed by the students and their in-depth questions on a wide variety of my books, and about history, and about the current war in Ukraine. The letters were tied in a blue satin ribbon, and the cards are amazing. Individual student artists created cards based on scenes from books. The artwork below is inspired by Stolen Girl, about Nadia’s joy at having a tree with a swing, now that she’s safe and living with people who love and care for her.

This is from Making Bombs for Hitler, when Lida is in the Displaced Persons’ camp. She’s checking the hundreds of bits of fluttering paper that have been attached to one of the few stone walls still standing. Each paper was a note with a person’s details on it, as they were trying to connect with loved ones who survived. I think of the war going on now in Ukraine when I look at this artwork, and think of all the people trying to find their loved ones.

This is from Stolen Girl. It’s Nadia’s confused memories because of the Nazi brainwashing she endured, making her forget her true family. It breaks my heart seeing this picture because there are kids right now kidnapped by Russia, in the midst of having their memories washed.

J. L. Simpson Middle School — virtual sessions

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with 300 students in 7th grade at J.L. Simpson in Leesburg Virginia over the course of 6 virtual sessions. Jeannine, their media specialist extraordinaire cobbled together grants from the Nora Roberts Foundation and HREC ED to make this happen and also to purchase copies of Winterkill for the students. The planning had been in the works since April of 2023! Students asked great questions, and look at the notes they took!