This excerpt from the Memphis based commercialappeal.com:

“Kristina White, 11, took a persuasive writing assignment so seriously this spring that today more than $72,000 worth of computers and technology will begin arriving at Sherwood Elementary. In her two-page letter to Todd Bradley, executive vice president of Hewlett-Packard’s $42 billion personal systems division, Kristina introduced herself, told Bradley she was aware of HP’s donation record, listed specific examples and then in her best prose, asked if he would consider donating to Sherwood.

“I told him that if everybody heard what he had done for our community, he would get more sales,” she said Tuesday from the couch of her grandmother’s home in South Memphis. “Always introduce yourself first,” she said. “You stand a better chance of getting what you want.” The letter was written in pencil on lined paper because the school does not have enough computers to allow every student to polish up and print their work.”

This story was compelling to me not because a well deserving school will now receive some great learning tools (that part is great too) – it is that, more than anything, this student and her classmates were able to be involved in, and witness, the power of the written word. They were taking on a lesson that was relevant to their school’s situation, they were writing to executives at real companies in the real world (that they reseached first). This lesson was authentic and obviously very motivating. The lesson that real power lies in the written word is worth much more than the $72K this school will receive. To educate is to draw out what is within, and writing is one of the very best ways to give life to what is ‘within’ so that it impacts the world. I am thrilled for this little girl and for her school. Way to go!

- Heather