Articles by Kelli Ballard

Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) was the 18th president of the United States. Unlike former commanders in chief, he did not have a background in politics and was elected more because of his military achievements during the war than anything else…. Read More

Andrew Johnson (1808–1875) was the 17th president of the United States and the first to ever be impeached. In 1829, he was elected alderman in Greeneville, Tennessee. Andrew Jackson was elected president that same year, a man who Johnson shared… Read More

Words can hop, skip, and even dance on the page when you’re reading a poem by E. E. Cummings. He didn’t believe poetry had to sit still. To him, words were alive, meant to move, twist, and surprise. E.E. Cummings… Read More

Julia Tyler didn’t just step into the role of first lady. She marched in with music, dancing, and a makeover plan for the White House. At only 24 years old, she became one of the youngest first ladies in US… Read More

Imagine someone who loved the sound of waves breaking on the shore, the chatter of a busy street, and the soft rustle of grass underfoot, and then turned all those sounds into poetry. That person was Walt Whitman. He was… Read More

On January 2, 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the Constitution and join the Union. As with most of America, Georgia was inhabited by native people long before any Europeans came to the land. Although there were various… Read More

Columbus Day celebrates an Italian explorer. Spain sent him to find a better trading route, but he was credited with discovering America by mistake. For centuries, Christopher Columbus and his “discovery” have been celebrated in the United States. But how… Read More

Christopher Columbus discovered America on October 12, 1492, but it was all by chance – a mistake. The explorer had been looking for an easier route from Europe to Asia when he came across the huge land that no one… Read More

Meet Anna Harrison, the first lady who packed her trunks for Washington, DC, and then never got to move into the White House. In 1841, her husband, William Henry Harrison, became the ninth president, but Anna stayed home in Ohio… Read More

When it comes to education, parents have spoken up: They want a say in what is being taught to their children. The public school system has disappointed and frustrated moms and dads who don’t want their first grader being taught… Read More

Have you ever seen the musical Cats, a play about a tribe of felines called the Jellicles? Those characters began as poems written by a playful, puzzle-loving poet named T. S. Eliot, short for Thomas Stearns Eliot. He was born… Read More

On Sunday, September 21, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona, the sound of a lone bagpiper unfurled the hymn “Amazing Grace” across State Farm Stadium. Tens of thousands who were there to remember the life of conservative activist Charlie Kirk stood as… Read More