Yaelle Merrill, a fourth grader at the Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens, has had her historical family story selected for publication in Grannie Annie, Vol. 14, to be released in May by The Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration. The Grannie Annie invites students in grades 4 through 8 to write about something interesting they discover from their family’s history based on their interviews with older relatives.
Yaelle’s story, titled “The Great Escape,” tells about her great-grandmother’s struggles to survive during the Holocaust in Europe during World War II. She wrote about her great-grandmother’s experiences and how she attributed her longevity to the kindness and comfort she provided to a stranger during the Holocaust. Despite the difficult topic, Yaelle appreciated the opportunity to learn and write about family stories that were passed from her great-grandmother to her father.
All students who submitted stories or illustrations for Grannie Annie, Vol. 14, will be honored at The Grannie Annie’s Family Stories Festival at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis.
