Eighteen-year-old Sawyer Wright has penned a book about four fourth-graders moving up to fifth grade and their experiences.

She wrote “The Four Take on the Fifth” as part of her project to win a Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of USA.

“My goal with “The Four Take on Fifth” is to provide young girls with relatable role models and demonstrate the best ways to deal with challenging situations while maintaining healthy friendships and growing self-confidence,” said Wright, of Marshall Township.

Wright, of Troop 53290, has been in the Girl Scouts since kindergarten. To earn a Gold Aware the Girl Scout must select an issue she cares about and work on a solution, she said.

Wright hopes her book helps build young girls’ confidence and work through complicated issues.

The book features four main characters who are friends with each one having different experiences and issues to deal with in their lives. For the story, Wright spent time talking to fourth and fifth grade girls and used her own experiences growing up.

For instance, one character moves away, but the story focuses on the feelings of the best friend who is left behind. Wright said that had happened to her several times when she was growing up.

“A lot of the stories in the book are definitely based on my own experiences,” she said.

She said she initially worked on a graphic novel, but knew that it would require too much artwork. So she transitioned to the book.

“When I read The Four Take on Fifth, I was immediately transported back to the beauties and hardships of elementary school — tiptoeing to the edge of growing up and starting to peek over,” said Christina Ruffolo, Wright’s gifted education teacher at North Allegheny Senior High School. “It is an incredibly true to life portrayal of elementary school. Kids who read this will see themselves and their friends reflected in the book.”

Sawyer hosted an Author’s Workshop at Marshall Elementary School, which she previously attended, to share how she created the book’s characters, story, and artwork. Fellow NA seniors and art honors students Iris Hong, Brooklyn Hollaway and Jessica Yi illustrated the book.

Each of the students, including Sawyer, illustrated one of the four chapters that reflect on the four main characters. So each chapter has its own unique art style, she said.

Wagner began the book in 2021, and it took about two and a half years to complete. Wright said she is still completing the paperwork needed for the Gold Award, with one of her last steps being public outreach which she accomplished at the Marshall Elementary School event earlier in December.

“The Four Take on Fifth” is available on Amazon as well as all the elementary school libraries in the NA school district.

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