It has been awhile since TeenTober has been spotlighted into a small look into a month, where it is shown how teens come to the front of the community, represented out what school libraries encourage them to do. However, we are trying to bring that focus back. In the next few posts, a look at how and what youth did in October with the support of school libraries. Don’t have one? Then YOUR community and students are missing out.

When a new school board member election was afoot, it was important for our school library to again have youth be at the front to enlighten people of the individuals running, as well as the platforms of those candidates. We had begun this out of the school library, through the Student Government, in 2020 and it definitely was a hit. Last year, students interviewed candidates for the school board, and one of those elected candidates, Mr. Tim Banks, remembered the statement that students would like to have more communication between the board and themselves, so they felt more connected from school board to student body. Things did NOT need to end just because elections occurred, we needed to see and involve the new and current candidates all year long.

True to his word, Mr. Banks called two weeks ago and asked for a time to meet again with the newest SGA officers. We set it up from the library and let the students roll with their interview and opportunity to meet Mr. Tim Banks as a current board member. Usually we like to have such events occur IN the school library as an example of showing the school library is a host to all opportunities to the school. In this particular day. we had Upward Bound, college visits, and several English classes visiting the library for their next read, and thought ahead to reserve a conference room to enable students a chance to have a quiet-like atmosphere to have discussion, all around the SGA. In doing so, on November 11th, the Woodbridge SGA were able to meet with Mr, Tim Banks and keep the ties between school board and student body open. Next students plans to meet with the whole school board to keep the lines of communication open – but to continue to have a direct line of accomplishments, inquiries, ideas, and more.

This is ONE of several amazing events youth took on in October – stay tuned for many more!