Last night, we celebrated the release of the first-ever 826michigan Gazette. Okay, first of all, let me say: it looks AWESOME. I mean, it really does. Erik Gable, who works for the Adrian Telegram and taught the workshop, did a wonderful job with the design and layout. And the content, of course, is stellar. With articles on everything from the new high school in Ann Arbor to volunteering at the Humane Society to the health hazard caused by high heels, let’s just call it a good read.

At the wrap party, cookies were consumed, newspapers were autographed, robots were discussed, and Lillie and Stina got really, really excited about googly eyes.

Long-time 826er Sam Groh — who’s been twelve, in his own words, “like, forever” — said something memorable: “Ann Arbor without 826 would be like ice cream without those little peanut things that they have in Moose Tracks. I don’t usually eat ice cream unless it has those things in it.” I liked that so much I wrote it down, so that I could share it with you, here, today.

You can check out the 826michigan Gazette here, where it currently resides as our Feature of the Month.

Many thanks to Erik Gable, who will be, thankfully, teaching this workshop again for us in the spring. Thanks also to his facilitators: Kat Carney, Chris Miller, and Adrienne Young. Kudos to all our young journalists. Thanks to the Ann Arbor News for printing the papers, which can be picked up in our store, or around town. And thanks to Lillie’s little brother Jacob, who is eight, and told me last night, after remembering parts of an 826 experience from two years ago, “I remember a lot of irrelevant details.” And then followed it up with, “I have an impressive vocabulary.”