Author Blue Balliett Visits Hill Intermediate

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Hill Intermediate students enjoyed a visit from author Blue Balliett on February 20. After students read 1,290,609 minutes during the summer for Scholastic’s Summer Reading Challenge and placed fourth in the world and first in Aldine ISD, Hill Intermediate earned a special presentation from Balliett. The campus also made the Guinness Book of World Records. Steven Roethler and Arcelia León, reading teachers at Hill Intermediate, organized the reading challenge.

Scholastic Books, sponsor of the Summer Reading Challenge, chose Balliett to visit with students. Balliett has written many well-known books including “Chasing Vermeer,” “The Wright 3,” “The Calder Game,” “The Danger Box,” and her latest book “Hold Fast,” which will soon be available at bookstores. Each book has won numerous awards.

Incidentally, some sixth grade reading classes at Hill Intermediate participated in a book study of “Chasing Vermeer.” 

Balliett shared her love of reading and writing with students.

“I love to hand over big, controversial ideas to kids … ideas that might make a person of any age stop and wonder,” stated Balliett. “All kids can be amazing problem-solvers and powerful thinkers, no matter what they are good at doing or whether they’re successful in school. That belief is at the heart of everything that I write.”

After her presentation, students asked some very poignant questions regarding her career.

Sixth grade students at Hill Intermediate enjoyed author Blue Balliett’s visit on Feb. 20. Pictured are (l-r) Balliett, Roethler, students Daniel Flores, Krystal Miller, Pida Laisatruklai, Amina Abdal-Jamiil, Henry Pham, and Principal Scott Corrick.