Tag: Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project

Tis the Season to Give Back

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Blog, Social Awareness and Responsibility Skills, Uncategorized

From the book Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project

Illustration by Eyen Johnson

As many of you know, I am passionate about two things, authentic teaching, and The Jared Box Project. These two things work together perfectly, when you are authentically teaching about giving. It is so important all year, but especially this time of year, to remember to give back.

Jared McMullen was diagnosed with an incurable brainstem tumor in 1999. He carried a backpack full of toys and games to all appointments and questioned why the other children didn’t bring toys to their exam rooms. Jared shared his toys and invited the other children to join him in a game of UNO. At just 5 years old, he demonstrated faith, wisdom and compassion for others.

Jared’s classmates sought to honor his memory and created boxes filled with toys for the patients at their local hospital. What was intended as a one-time project has grown into a nonprofit that reaches into the hearts of children and their families across all 50 US States, and also internationally.

I did a presentation last year at a special education school. These children had a great deal on their plate, but all engaged and enjoyed making Jared Boxes. They already earned credit at their school store (for task completion and behavior), and during the Jared Box Project (the name of the project and a project!) they used their credit to buy items for the Jared Box that they were going to make. The students were all engaged, proud, learning, and eager to share their finished boxes.

For more information about The Jared Box Project visit TheJaredBox.org

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Blog, Books for Children, Social Awareness and Responsibility Skills, Uncategorized

We have officially finished the award season for Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project. Eyen and I have been overwhelmed with the awards this book has earned.

We are so honored that we were asked to help tell Jared’s story, and to help spread the word about The Jared Box Project. The material we were given to work with was award winning.

2023 Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient

2023 indieBRAG® Medallion Winner

2023 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards Winner

2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards Semi-Finalist

2023 Story Monsters Approved®

2024 Book Excellence Award Finalist

2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist

2024 Eric Hoffer Award Nominated

2024 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards Winner

2024 Global Ebook Awards Gold and Silver Medals

2024 International Impact Book Awards Winner

2024 The BookFest® Book Awards Second Place

2024 Best Book Awards Finalist

Gold Medal – Best Illustrations in Children’s Fiction!

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Blog, Books for Children, Uncategorized

Eyen Johnson just won a GOLD MEDAL in the 2024 Global Ebook Awards for Best Illustrations in Children’s Fiction for his whimsical and amazing illustrations for Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project. Eyen, I am so proud of you!

The book also won a SILVER MEDAL for Children’s Picture Books. So proud of this book!

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project is available on Amazon.

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Authentic Project Ideas, Blog, Books for Children, Social Awareness and Responsibility Skills, Uncategorized

We just found out that Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project was a 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist! Eyen and I are so proud of this book and so happy that we can support the phenomenal work done by The Jared Box Project.

This is a fantastic organization and a great way for children to get involved in an authentic community service project. For more information visit The Jared Box Project.

2023 Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient, 2023 indieBRAG® Medallion Winner, 2023 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards Winner, 2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards Semi-Finalist, 2023 Story Monsters Approved®, 2024 Book Excellence Award Finalist, 2024 Eric Hoffer Award Nominated, 2024 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards Winner

A New Year

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Authentic Teaching, Blog, Books for Children, Social Awareness and Responsibility Skills, Uncategorized

I have decided to start the new year with an adaption of my favorite story. Many times, during my teaching career, I gifted a copy of this adaption, and a starfish necklace, to teachers I worked with, to remind them why we we do what we do.

A young boy was walking on the beach, he paused every so often, to pick up an object and throw it into the ocean. A man was watching the young boy. The boy came closer and the man said, “May I ask what you are doing?”

The young boy replied, “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the water by themselves. If they don’t get back into the water, they will die.” 

The man replied, “But there must be hundreds of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

Adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley (1907 – 1977)

As I have stated many times, this blog started as a means to promote my books. Then it gradually, and authentically changed to be a means for me to post authentic ideas for teaching. So my blog about authentic teaching and learning is totally authentic! I didn’t plan for it to happen, it just did. And because I followed my interests and didn’t remain constrained by the original purpose of this blog, I have continued to grow as an educator, even in retirement.

Not only have I continued to grow as an educator, but I have been able to continue to make a difference in my own little way. Anyone who teaches, understands that we all want to make a difference, in our own little way. I know my blog does that. I get the biggest thrill to see all the different countries that people are from who read my blog. Wow, what a head trip!

Also, writing my books has allowed me to continue to make a difference. All of my books, children’s and adult, are written to educate. And, of course, being asked to write a book about The Jared Box Project – what an honor. Eyen, Tex, and I feel truly privileged that we were able to help spread the word about this amazing project.

So, I begin 2024 by thanking you for allowing me to indulge in my passions, and feel that I am continuing in my own little authentic way to make a small difference in the world.

As educators, it is easy to become overwhelmed with what we are tasked to accomplish.  So, remember the starfish story, try to make a difference, one starfish at a time…

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project Wins Five Awards

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Blog, Books for Children, Uncategorized

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project has won five book awards!

2023 Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient

2023 indieBRAG® Medallion Winner

2023 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards Winner

2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards Semi-Finalist

2024 Book Excellence Award Finalist

Eyen and I are so proud of this book and so honored that we were asked to help tell the story of The Jared Box Project.

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project has been donated to The Jared Box Project by Ellie, Eyen, and Tex, and is available on Amazon.

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project – Little Libraries

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Blog, Books for Children, Social Awareness and Responsibility Skills, Uncategorized

Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, Penn State University

REPOSTED FROM THE JARED BOX PROJECT

Next up at The Jared Box Project!

Have you heard about the book, Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project? It was written by Ellie Smith and illustrated by her former student, Eyen Johnson. It tells the sweet story of Jared Boxes.

We are on a mission to put a copy of our book in Little Libraries across the country. The book is available on Amazon.

If you put a copy of the book in a Little Library, please send us a photo! This will be a fun adventure!

Thank you!

The Jared Box Project

The Jared Box Project

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Authentic Project Ideas, Blog, Books for Children, Social Awareness and Responsibility Skills, Uncategorized

Almost exactly a year ago, Eyen and I became involved with The Jared Box Project. Eyen and I both agree that this is why we started creating books together. We just didn’t know this when we started out on our book journey over seven years ago.

This blog is about teaching authentically. But I also feel that it is important to live authentically! To me, authenticity means make it real and make it count. Our books were already “real”, and we both felt they helped children learn to enjoy reading. Now writing a book for The Jared Box Project made what we are doing “count” even more. We are really making a difference in a positive way.

Eyen and I just attended the celebration for the Millionth Jared Box! Yes, over a million Jared Boxes have been made and distributed. The Jared Box Project is now in all 50 States and several other countries. Making Jared Boxes is a wonderful authentic community service project. It is easy, it is fun, and it truly makes a huge difference to those who receive them.

For more information about The Jared Box Project, go to thejaredbox.org.

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project

by Eleanor K. Smith, posted in Blog, Books for Children, Uncategorized

Eyen and I are thrilled to announce the publication of our latest book, Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project.

Tex is a young T-Rex.  He loves to explore.  For his birthday, his parents gave him a scooter.
Tex is off to explore his neighborhood – or so he thought! This book tells the story of Tex and his introduction to The Jared Box Project.

The Jared Box Project was started in 2001 by the children of Our Lady of Victory School in State College, Pennsylvania, to honor their classmate and friend, Jared. Jared McMullen was a brave little boy who battled cancer. He carried a backpack full of toys and games to all of his appointments and questioned why the other children didn’t bring toys to their exam rooms. Jared shared his toys with the other children. He demonstrated faith, wisdom, and compassion for others.

For over 20 years, Jared Boxes have delivered countless smiles, laughter, and hope to children in hospitals across the country. Since then, more than one million Jared Boxes have been delivered to over 475 hospitals across the United States and in other countries.

The mission of The Jared Box Project is to entertain and put a smile on the faces of children in the hospital. A Jared Box is a “gift of play,” a plastic shoebox filled with small gifts, toys, cards, games, crayons, coloring books, and other fun activities.

The Jared Box Project is a “give local” project. Thousands of groups have made and delivered Jared Boxes to hospitals in their communities. Children and their parents are so thankful for these boxes that showcase the importance of play and are filled with well wishes, hope, and love. Join us. Make some Jared Boxes for the children in your local hospital. Bring on the smiles!

Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project is available on Amazon.

This book has been donated to the Jared Box Project By Ellie, Eyen, and Tex.

For more information visit TheJaredBox.org