May 13th, 2024 was a great opportunity to meet Representative Michael Ramone who took time out of a QUITE busy legislative year to visit our student legislative advocacy team, our FFA, Walter P.J. Gilefski Media Center at Woodbridge High School, and the whole school. Many many aspects of his visit, as with the previous legislators, was exciting and we were grateful for his visit!

Not only running for governor, but also serving on the education committee was of peak interest about Representative Ramone for us. Do NOT forget his passion for reading as well! There is absolutely no doubt we feel his view about reading to children. As we struggled with how sometimes do not consider the full impact of what a tree means to a community The Giving Tree).

– we wanted to dig deeper into how school and public libraries are more recognized as doorways to paths of confidence as Representative Ramone here.

Hailing from St. Mark’s (the site of the movie The Holdovers) – (we loved how Education was featured in a highly ironic situation here but a deep meaningful one) – a deeper comment Representative made really stood out.

In talking about how we as a student institution, body, and state can discuss how to better literacy in Delaware, we want to be able to add to the possibilities. When we asked Representative Ramone to please press for more representation for school libraries at the Department of Education – we truly wanted to drill in more on the emphasis of all schools in our state having the ability to choose from a certified librarian to serve as mentor, IT and AI guide, reference navigator, mental health advocate, truth in media guru, and literacy seer.

He said the magic words that everyone agrees upon.

“Literacy is not a partisan decision.”

We could not agree more. As have students across the state that represent ALL paths of study as they graduate, from vocational to college, all professional, all talented. We want all avenues open and to be able to view their school library, as well as their public library as a vaulting point. We want ALL students to have thew ability to access their state legislators and voice their opinions. We feel pushing for that advocacy for school libraries at our Department of Education is a real start to this, to help working on the other many branches of librarianship that meed to be touched upon. We believe you as a community as well can help us too!

Thank you so so much Representative Ramone for taking tine out to advocate with us, listen to us, and provide us with a path into knowing who you are, and celebrating students who have chosen literacy during their school day! Now we want to give other schools the chance too!

Thank you!