I was very excited to participate in our Media Center's first book club. Mrs. Chrissy Robinson and Mrs. Cheryl Cook have done an outstanding job creating an environment that both students and teachers can enjoy. Please read below to find out more about the first book club.
On Friday, February 8th, and Monday, February 11th, the Seneca High School Media Center came alive with 78 students and staff members discussing the characters and plots of books they had voluntarily read for the school’s first book club meetings. Using recommendations for young adult literature from the American Library Association and VOYA magazine, Seneca High School’s media center staff (media specialists Chrissy Robinson and Cheryl Cook, and media center clerk Betty Gamble) selected the following books for student reading: the light-hearted young adult mystery Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe , Copper Sun from the genre of historical fiction by award winning young adult fiction author Sharon Draper, and the science fiction/fantasy selection of Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by best selling young adult and adult fiction author, James Patterson.
In January with the announcement of the SHS book club, the media center staff was met with an enthusiastic response by students and staff members with all 60 book copies being circulated within the first week. To the surprise of the media center staff, many students quickly read their first selection, returned their books, and then began reading a second selection for the book club meeting to be held in February. Seneca High School media specialist Chrissy Robinson stated, “We were thrilled to find that so many students and staff members responded with such enthusiasm to the book clubs. Due to the limited number of copies of books that we had, students started sharing books with one another in order to give others the chance to participate in the book club.” Media specialist Cheryl Cook added, “As librarians, it was very encouraging to see young adults so excited about recreational reading; but it was equally exciting to see the students’ demonstration of the Seneca High community spirit.”
The Seneca High School media center provided a total of 60 copies of the books for students and staff members wishing to participate in the book clubs. Over a three week period, participating students and staff members read the books at their own pace, then in February met in the media center to enjoy a lunch and to participate in discussion groups. Student feedback and participation indicate that the book clubs were a success and that students hope for more meetings and books in the future. SHS media specialists are currently exploring funding options for more book clubs in the future, including state and federal grants.
In January with the announcement of the SHS book club, the media center staff was met with an enthusiastic response by students and staff members with all 60 book copies being circulated within the first week. To the surprise of the media center staff, many students quickly read their first selection, returned their books, and then began reading a second selection for the book club meeting to be held in February. Seneca High School media specialist Chrissy Robinson stated, “We were thrilled to find that so many students and staff members responded with such enthusiasm to the book clubs. Due to the limited number of copies of books that we had, students started sharing books with one another in order to give others the chance to participate in the book club.” Media specialist Cheryl Cook added, “As librarians, it was very encouraging to see young adults so excited about recreational reading; but it was equally exciting to see the students’ demonstration of the Seneca High community spirit.”
The Seneca High School media center provided a total of 60 copies of the books for students and staff members wishing to participate in the book clubs. Over a three week period, participating students and staff members read the books at their own pace, then in February met in the media center to enjoy a lunch and to participate in discussion groups. Student feedback and participation indicate that the book clubs were a success and that students hope for more meetings and books in the future. SHS media specialists are currently exploring funding options for more book clubs in the future, including state and federal grants.
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