Liana Gefter

Gefter's "Published Positivity: My Best Day" project concentrates on at-risk fifth graders whose lives often involve troubled homes or gang violence. Each student writes an essay about a positive experience, a "best day," and illustrates it. All student essays are then collected into a journal. The project helps participants, the majority of whom are second-language learners in English, to familiarize themselves with the various steps in the writing process, improve language and writing skills, and become personally invested in writing by focusing on hopeful messages in an often negative environment.