next story addition 6

Anything Is Possible (6)
by Spot Kids

Gertie couldn't believe her luck. She had just left Josh's house with her dog Thurber. They lived across the alley from each other and had been friends since she moved there in 2001 when she was five and Josh was six. She decided to take the sidewalk around to her street so she didn't have to go past the old shed. The old shed had long ago lost its paint. It's windows were all painted over. And although there was no reason to be afraid, it gave her the creeps.

She turned the corner and there it was on the sidewalk. Had someone lost it? It was a shiny green $100 bill. Where did it come from? Just then the wind came up and it started to blow it away.

Gertie couldn't believe it. She wasn't even sure it was real money. It was kind of folded up and and looked too new. Thurber saw the bill start to blow away and lurched forward pulling Gertie along. She ran and stomped on it right before it started to blow again into the street. She stood on Thurber's leash with one foot and carefully reached for the money under her other foot. The bill was carefully folded and very new looking.

As she unfolded it, there was another piece of cardboard inside the folded bill. It was a basketball ticket. Who had dropped it there and how could she give it back? And why was it wrapped inside money?

Gertie ran home with the money and ticket in her fist, Thurber excited at the prospect of getting to run. To his disappointment, Gertie ran up to the house, inside, slammed the door, and let go of his leash. Then she ran to her room and flipped on the desk light. She wanted to get a better look at the money and ticket. She opened her desk drawer and found the magnifying glass that she used when she and her dad worked on her stamp collection.

Yup, the money did seem a little too shiny and crisp. She knew why the ticket was inside the bill. It was wrapped up in the money because come to find out the $100 bill was fake. Even though she had never seen a $100 bill, she could tell this wasn't real. But what about the ticket?

She stared at the ticket all night. The next morning she brought the ticket to Josh’s house
and told him about the fake money too.

Josh suggested that it was time to tell someone about the find. Gertie called the police and they set her up to meet Mr. Cruise, the detective. He suggested that they do a finger print test on the bill and ticket. After they tested it, they found out it belonged to Mr. Kay.

Gertie scheduled to meet him Tuesday. Gertie was nervous. Why did this guy drop his ticket and why was it wrapped in a dollar bill?



------Email your addition to the story to spot@spotkids.com------

next story addition 5

Anything Is Possible (5)
by Spot Kids

Gertie couldn't believe her luck. She had just left Josh's house with her dog Thurber. They lived across the alley from each other and had been friends since she moved there in 2001 when she was five and Josh was six. She decided to take the sidewalk around to her street so she didn't have to go past the old shed. The old shed had long ago lost its paint. It's windows were all painted over. And although there was no reason to be afraid, it gave her the creeps.

She turned the corner and there it was on the sidewalk. Had someone lost it? It was a shiny green $100 bill. Where did it come from? Just then the wind came up and it started to blow it away.

Gertie couldn't believe it. She wasn't even sure it was real money. It was kind of folded up and and looked too new. Thurber saw the bill start to blow away and lurched forward pulling Gertie along. She ran and stomped on it right before it started to blow again into the street. She stood on Thurber's leash with one foot and carefully reached for the money under her other foot. The bill was carefully folded and very new looking.

As she unfolded it, there was another piece of cardboard inside the folded bill. It was a basketball ticket. Who had dropped it there and how could she give it back? And why was it wrapped inside money?

Gertie ran home with the money and ticket in her fist, Thurber excited at the prospect of getting to run. To his disappointment, Gertie ran up to the house, inside, slammed the door, and let go of his leash. Then she ran to her room and flipped on the desk light. She wanted to get a better look at the money and ticket. She opened her desk drawer and found the magnifying glass that she used when she and her dad worked on her stamp collection.

Yup, the money did seem a little too shiny and crisp. She knew why the ticket was inside the bill. It was wrapped up in the money because come to find out the $100 bill was fake. Even though she had never seen a $100 bill, she could tell this wasn't real. But what about the ticket?

She stared at the ticket all night. The next morning she brought the ticket to Josh’s house and told him about the fake money too.



------Email your addition to the story to spot@spotkids.com------

next story addition 4

Anything Is Possible (4)
by Spot Kids

Gertie couldn't believe her luck. She had just left Josh's house with her dog Thurber. They lived across the alley from each other and had been friends since she moved there in 2001 when she was five and Josh was six. She decided to take the sidewalk around to her street so she didn't have to go past the old shed. The old shed had long ago lost its paint. It's windows were all painted over. And although there was no reason to be afraid, it gave her the creeps.

She turned the corner and there it was on the sidewalk. Had someone lost it? It was a shiny green $100 bill. Where did it come from? Just then the wind came up and it started to blow it away.

Gertie couldn't believe it. She wasn't even sure it was real money. It was kind of folded up and and looked too new. Thurber saw the bill start to blow away and lurched forward pulling Gertie along. She ran and stomped on it right before it started to blow again into the street. She stood on Thurber's leash with one foot and carefully reached for the money under her other foot. The bill was carefully folded and very new looking.

As she unfolded it, there was another piece of cardboard inside the folded bill. It was a basketball ticket. Who had dropped it there and how could she give it back? And why was it wrapped inside money?

Gertie ran home with the money and ticket in her fist, Thurber excited at the prospect of getting to run. To his disappointment, Gertie ran up to the house, inside, slammed the door, and let go of his leash. Then she ran to her room and flipped on the desk light. She wanted to get a better look at the money and ticket. She opened her desk drawer and found the magnifying glass that she used when she and her dad worked on her stamp collection.

Yup, the money did seem a little too shiny and crisp. She knew why the ticket was inside the bill. It was wrapped up in the money because come to find out the $100 bill was fake. Even though she had never seen a $100 bill, she could tell this wasn't real. But what about the ticket?



------Email your addition to the story to spot@spotkids.com------

Spot Kids Chain Story

Hey, this is great. We have two new additions from you for the story!

One thing comes to mind. Be sure to read the story right before you write your addition and send it right off so we don't get additions too late to go on the end of the story.

Keep writing!

next story addition--3

Anything Is Possible (3)
by Spot Kids

Gertie couldn't believe her luck. She had just left Josh's house with her dog Thurber. They lived across the alley from each other and had been friends since she moved there in 2001 when she was five and Josh was six. She decided to take the sidewalk around to her street so she didn't have to go past the old shed. The old shed had long ago lost its paint. It's windows were all painted over. And although there was no reason to be afraid, it gave her the creeps.

She turned the corner and there it was on the sidewalk. Had someone lost it? It was a shiny green $100 bill. Where did it come from? Just then the wind came up and it started to blow it away.

Gertie couldn't believe it. She wasn't even sure it was real money. It was kind of folded up and and looked too new. Thurber saw the bill start to blow away and lurched forward pulling Gertie along. She ran and stomped on it right before it started to blow again into the street. She stood on Thurber's leash with one foot and carefully reached for the money under her other foot. The bill was carefully folded and very new looking.

As she unfolded it, there was another piece of cardboard inside the folded bill. It was a basketball ticket. Who had dropped it there and how could she give it back? And why was it wrapped inside money?


------Email your addition to the story to spot@spotkids.com------

next story addition--2

Anything Is Possible (2)
by Spot Kids

Gertie couldn't believe her luck. She had just left Josh's house with her dog Thurber. They lived across the alley from each other and had been friends since she moved there in 2001 when she was five and Josh was six. She decided to take the sidewalk around to her street so she didn't have to go past the old shed. The old shed had long ago lost its paint. It's windows were all painted over. And although there was no reason to be afraid, it gave her the creeps.

She turned the corner and there it was on the sidewalk. Had someone lost it? It was a shiny green $100 bill. Where did it come from? Just then the wind came up and it started to blow it away.



------Email your addition to the story to spot@spotkids.com------

Spot Kids Chain Story

To get ready for David Gonzalez visit to Iowa, let's build a story as a Spot Kid community. Read the story below that has been started.

Now send one or two lines to us and we will add it to the story.

We will see where the story leads us. No one knows what will happen or how it will end because you all are the storytellers of this one story!

Anything Is Possible
by Spot Kids

Gertie couldn't believe her luck. She had just left Josh's house with her dog Thurber. They lived across the alley from each other and had been friends since she moved there in 2001 when she was five and Josh was six. She decided to take the sidewalk around to her street so she didn't have to go past the old shed. The old shed had long ago lost its paint. It's windows were all painted over. And although there was no reason to be afraid, it gave her the creeps.

She turned the corner and there it was on the sidewalk. Had someone lost it?

------Email your addition to the story to spot@spotkids.com------

Blast from Spot's Past

In year one of Spot the very first event that came to Iowa was ODC/San Francisco in April/May 2005. Lots of Spot Kids will remember this energetic and fun group that made lots of friends in Iowa. I keep tabs on what they are doing on their website and I saw this great photo there this week and thought Spot Kids would love it! Click here.

Lori at ODC told me: “It is Annie in the photo. She is pictured with Jordan Wilkes who plays on the Cal Bears basketball team. He’s 7’4” and Annie is 5’ 2” and they had great fun in that photo shoot. They even have a dancing duet at the fundraiser that we are doing in April." Annie was on the Iowa tour.

I sure wish I could see this event; sounds fun!

Thanks to Lori and ODC for permission to use the photos. SEE ANOTHER ONE HERE! Lori grew up in Cedar Rapids so when ODC was here it was a blast from her past. These great photos are by RJ Muna. If you look at the ODC website you can see more of his work and they are wonderful dance images.

SPOT REPORTERS

Wow, we have a great bunch of kids from all four towns signed on to be Spot Reporters when David Gonzalez come to Iowa for the Great Iowa SPOT 3 tour!

If you want to be a reporter it will have to be for the next event--The Bobs--so let me know about that soon before that one gets filled too! We still have a couple of openings for reporters for that event.

from Perry

A Spot Kid from Perry sent in a t-shirt guess:

Dear Spot,
Let me guess. Are the shirts orange? I can't wait to be a Spot reporter!
Bailey
Perry

I will wait a bit to see if more kids send in a guess of t-shirt color before I let you know if Bailey is right or not!

Shirt color

A Spot Kid from Marshalltown sent in a guess of the t-shirt color. You can see it below under "Guess the T-Shirt Color" comment. Nope, it isn't red with black type. A couple of entries below a Cedar Rapids Spot Kid guessed orange. Any more votes?

By the way, the shirts will be available free, in limited numbers, and after April Fool's Day. No kidding! More information will follow. Keep reading!

Announcing a contest!

We are getting the Spot Reporter kits ready to send out in April. I hope a few more kids sign up to be Reporters. I think those who have been reporters during the first two years would all say it was a lot of fun. Maybe the best part is getting to know the artists.

Next week we will be announcing a new project for the Bobs time here. I will send out an email with the details but kids and parents might want to start thinking about it. The Bobs have agreed to create a song just for the Spot project. All we have to do is to come up with a title! Then they will make up a song for the winning Best Title. So start thinking now about your favorite, funny, personal song title. More later...!

Reporters up to 7

It's fun to start hearing from Spot Kids and parents. We already have seven Spot Kid Reporters. We still have room for a few more so be sure to check that out on the Spot Kids web page.

And send us your blog entries! You can write about anything related to Spot--past fun experiences, what you are wondering about for this year, whatever.

Spot Kid from Cedar Rapids says:

The blog was great and made perfect sense.
(Are the shirts... orange!)
I think that it works well except it took me a wile to find the comment button, but other than that it ROCKS!

Cool as ever,
Bryan --

WANTED: REPORTERS FOR SPOT KIDS!

Wow, the Spot events are coming up fast with the first one next month in Perry on April 22 with David Gonzalez. He will travel to Spencer, Marshalltown, and Iowa City right after that. It is time now to find Spot Kids in all the towns who want to be reporters.

You get a Reporter Kit with an official id card. The requirements aren't difficult. You need to be At least eight years old. You need a parent or other adult who will help you out. When David Gonzalez arrives you can meet him and interview him. After you go to at least one of the events he will be doing, you write a story. You will also get a disposable camera to take pictures.

The reporters from last year all have their stories and photos still on the website. They did a terrific job! You can read their stories on two different pages.

The stories for Tomas Kubinek are here.

And the stories for San Jose Taiko are here.

Thanks Eli, Jessie, Hannah, Katrine, Bryan, Samuel, and Bryce for all your good work. We read those stories and can remember all the fun time we had in Perry, Marshalltown, Spencer, and Iowa City.

Get all the information you need right here.

So, if any of you want to join the awesome group of Spot Reporters, email us at spot@spotkids.com or go to the website.

Oh, one more thing. Be sure you talk to your parent about all this so they know what the project is all about.

We can only have a few reporters so let us know soon if you want to be one.