Public Funding, Public Decisions: How Eastside Schools Spend Their Money

By Anita Storey and Nathalie Ortega

Sixth graders Anika Veerkar, Benicio “Benny” Flores, and Libby Abrams attend Eastside Middle School, which is facing challenges as a result of its growing student body. When they learn the school is getting extra funding this year, they know they have the topic for their next feature story: Who decides how public schools spend their money? And where does the money come from? As the kids interview people at school and learn about their different priorities for the money—an athletic field, a bigger auditorium, improved science equipment, and more—they realize the most important question of all: How can they be part of the decision?

Anika, Benny, and Libby are neighborhood friends—and known to be relentlessly curious. They’re always asking questions, and their interest in sharing the answers has led them to start an online newsletter. Encouraged by their parents, they venture out into the community to investigate the most engaging stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: North Star Editions
• Release date: Sep 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781631636486

Anita Storey

Maya Chhabra is the author of a middle grade historical novel, Stranger on the Home Front, and a YA verse novel, Chiara in the Dark. Her short stories, poetry, and translations have been published in a variety of venues. Follow her writing updates on Twitter at @MChhabraAuthor. Maya lives in Brooklyn with her wife.

Book preview

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Chapter One

A Big Announcement

Eastside Middle School was buzzing with excitement. Today, Principal Foster would be making an announcement in front of the entire school at eleven o’clock. As students headed to the auditorium, the halls filled with chatter and wild theories. The kids rushed past green-painted lockers and walls covered in motivational posters.

Libby Abrams, Anika Veerkar, and Benicio Benny Flores hurried to get there early. The auditorium didn’t have enough seats for the growing student body, so stragglers would have to stand in the back.

What do you think this mysterious announcement is? Anika asked, out of breath from speed walking. Running in the halls was banned, but she was just walking . . . fast.

Someone on the track team won the state championship? Benny guessed. He had heard some athletes from their school were doing really well this year.

Libby wasn’t so sure. The championship was last weekend, and I don’t think anyone won, not even the guy from our Spanish class who does pole vault. And why are we so sure the announcement is good news? Maybe something terrible happened.

No, Mrs. Li sounded excited when she talked about it in class. Anika rounded the last corner leading to the auditorium. Whatever it is, we’ll cover it for The Eastside Extra.

Their school didn’t have a student newspaper, but Anika, Benny, and Libby had created their own online newsletter. Each issue focused on events and history in their neighborhood. Over the summer, they’d researched about veterans, pollution, and immigration. Maybe now they could write about their school.

The friends arrived at the auditorium early enough to get seats. But to sit together, they had to go to the very front row. The drama club took up the rest of the row.

Libby recognized Janelle, the club’s leader, who sat near her during social studies. Janelle was wearing her usual black T-shirt and leggings. She looked like she was about to slip into costume or dash backstage. The rest of the club members dressed similarly, but Janelle’s green purse made her stand out. She and her friends were talking about the upcoming spring musical.

Ooh! I love Les Mis, Libby said when Janelle shared