COCOLAMUS — Keisha Iaderosa doesn’t like to mince words, especially those of the non-verbal variety.

“For me, writing is a great way to express my feelings and get things out without voicing it,” said Iaderosa, a junior at East Juniata High School.

She was one of 35 East Juniata students to have their work published in a book, “Through the Tiger’s Eye,” that English teacher Amanda Lightner helped to publish recently through her writing class.

“I really enjoy the class because it’s a very welcoming environment and there’s hands-on projects,” explained Iaderosa, a junior at East Juniata. “Creating the book this year, as well as last year was a fun experience and a great way for students to share their work to others.”

Lightner has managed to publish a literary book in some form since she started teaching in the Juniata County School District in 2009. “I wanted students to have a product of work from each year,” she explained.

Lightner used an online publisher, www.blurb.com, which enables would-be authors to upload content to the site and publish it in book format.

“We have such a wonderful reception at the end of every year,” Lightner recalled of handing the books out to student contributors. “Some students said, ‘It was the only book that I had in my house, or the only book that I had in my bedroom.’

“They really seemed to have a sense of pride,” she added. “Sometimes, they’re not excited about English, but seeing something on the page was meaningful for them.”

Lightner’s small class size – with just seven students this year – proved challenging when it came time to put together another book. So she decided to open up reach out to the entire school body for written pieces. Poetry proved to be a popular form as National Poetry Month was celebrated in April.

The class even set up a table at lunchtime in the school cafeteria. “We contacted other students,” Lightner said. “Besides my 11th grade and my writing class – which is 10th to 12th, we had 8th and 10th grade poetry.”

Some students contributed several works, and the book blossomed into 80 pages. Lightner had it printed and purchased copies to all of the contributors.

Both Lightner and her students find it intriguing to compare works written by the same author previously to those in the present day.

“It’s interesting to me to see how their writing develops,” Lightner said. She definitely ranks it as her favorite school project. “It’s probably the best thing that I do.”

She tried to keep the students interested in the publishing process. While creating the book, Lightner would airplay it to the screen so students could watch the process of how it’s done.

Lightner believes publishing these kinds of literary works helps to foster a sense of community in the school. “Students understand that they’re not just writing for me; they have an audience,” she explained. “I take them seriously as writers.”

She hopes publishing the book might lead to other collaborative ventures with the schools, such as high school English students mentoring elementary students on the subject. “I love to see some of the students’ enthusiasm at the high school level and would like to share that passion with the younger kids,” Lightner said.

Experts believe when students take the role of a teacher, they take ownership and understand the subject on a deeper level to communicate with students,” Lightner said.

Iaderosa has used what she’s learned from Lightner outside of the classroom, too.

“Through the year we’ve learned how to properly write an email, precise language, diction and so much more that can actually be used for future experiences,” she said.

To order a book, contact Lightner at alightner@jcsdk12.org.