It goes without saying that what occurred on 9/11 did not exist in the memory of many students we encounter each day. Why would something students today cannot recall even matter, be worth rehashing, revisiting, or trying to learn? I hear this question countless times from students themselves, and easy to write off events and stories that are not appearing in front of them now.
I also see countless students that do not have the same upbringing as we experienced say even 20 years ago – but even more important, how often do we experience, literally EXPERIENCES where individuals sacrifice their time, their freedoms, as well as their opportunities for others? Today, despite being numbed/unknown to many of these experiences that have never occurred in their lives, (thank goodness),it is difficult for many to conceive that such horrors could exist outside of social media.
Some of the best examples of honoring the gifts that many have lost their lives for, mainly the gift of freedom, is passing the torch of serving others in honor of what we hope for each other – freedom in many scenarios. I would be remiss to point out on a local level how many individuals stepped up to just enable one day to occur. Take a look how powerful it is when individuals step up and sacrifice their time for others today:
Dr. Chisenhall and Ms. Ruse dipping into surplus inventory for finish line supplies for today’s 5k
Ms. Sharp as administrator letting students know “You are important!” and jumping into the ceremony to help all operate smoothly – lifesaver!
Students jumping into helping projects for the WHS graduating seniors.
WHS maintenance in and out of the school for weeks to perfect grounds conducive to all visiting schools and athletic areas. Especially Mr. Hilbert Smith and Landen Lucke who came in the clutxh for helping us – as they alway do!
Faculty willing to add even more time to their overarching schedule day to be a spokesperson for graduating seniors (Ms.Shiley, McDonough, and Mr. Malloy).
Ms. Redmond as faithful an attendee of all things sports as you can imagine, with photography alongside Mike McClure from the Seaford Star – we are grateful for their constant support.
Coaches from completely different sports to stop in the middle of practices to assist others in preparation of their own senior night (Athletic Director Dooley, Coach Trotta, Coach Short) expert DJ connector and amp hook up artist. Also from Jaycie Kerricks’s quick thinking over what could have been a more complex situation with a runner’s health).
First Sergeant Nathan Sparks and Staff Sergeant Sash Ann Martin implementing an important memorial to those that dedicated their lives to our country, to the freedoms we have currently and for the memories that might not be in front of us, but that remain with us every day, whether we see it or not in front of us.
I thought all this as I saw the above mentioned individuals and acts with the selflessness of the needs of others despite their tasks at hand that they were engaged in. Selflessness, optimism, possibility, leadership, are all elements that ca be experienced and seen, and not necessarily having to dig into a historical event alone. Events like 9/11 and worse carry mighty weight in hearts of those that grew up among these events. Even moreso, is the need for creativity, possibility, and insight for those that did not have to experience such tragedy, but still need to find pockets of compassion to prevent such events from playing out.
9/11 is certain to remain forever in our hearts by all who experienced or witnessed this tragedy, but also can serve as a beacon forward to modify what sacrifice and loyalty can meet for everyone.
August 24th – it happened. National Book Festival. Of course many think is an event for bibliophiles only. True to a point but, realizations set in as I looked around at the over 2000 people, (really it had to be like 5000 or more) at the Library of Congress’s National Book Festival – I realized how many people have a vested interest in literacy in many different formats, books as a chief one but in many other ways.
It has become an adventure that picks up more people along the way, and this year it was awesome as usually (it is never not awesome!) – and Woodbridge icons Michelle Brown, James Weiler, and Sophia Emery took on the day.
Exciting- when there we ran into DASL Treasurer and Smyrna librarian Jennifer MacDonald, as well as Heather Jones, and we found each other in opposite autograph lines. It was exciting to have solidarity in our own states!
It still amazes me how there has become a push against books or various genres / themes of books, without realizing with certified librarians, there is an automatic, appropriate check in place for ages that are appropriate for audiences. Without knowledgable librarians, things break down. I still wonder how many realize this – but that is another blog topic.
In knowing James Patterson was in attendance, my first identifying point for Mr. Patterson has always been his ability and energy to find ways to draw people to reading, of all ages. From silly, to creative, his main objective has been bring anyone to pages to get them into the literacy world and enjoy it – which carries more weight with me than I could imagine. I love that is a legacy he has created, as well as having sold over 700 million books, one of THE most read author around.
and I was hooked again. Worth standing in line for 45 minutes, absolutely. There were so many people in line that we were asked to have the page open already, and then conversation would not be possible to let everyone have their book signed. I thanked James Patterson for being there and what he does, and told him I was a librarian, he asked where, I said Delaware, and I moved on. (Little did I know when I turned to page 29 Bethany Beach Bookstore was staring back at me!).
Having written with Dolly Parton who visited Delaware as well as Bill Clinton and Michael Crichton, the depth and breadth of James Patterson is a small percentage of who he is. His note that it is VITAL that teachers and librarians are supported to give youth books that will turn them on early, and not turn them off early on – how true! Sometimes that is not what parents are interested in, but there is a difference between appropriate and motivating.
Also, it was awesome and ironic to hear thanks to the University of Florida, which seems to have the “vaccine” for literacy, that Florida is Number 3 in the U.S. for youth reading at grade level, and #1 for Latino and Black readers reading on grade level. With so many negative connotations applied to Florida, the successes need to ring louder than the negative that tries to push its way in. How refreshing to see authors like James Patterson moving that spotlight to the forefront.
Patterson remarked how people are not understanding how hard that job is (teaching) – and all I can say is AMEN!
When librarians and authors work together- it is nice to see the school community getting used to opportunities and success happening as a result. That should be the norm in education.
Please read to the left side, especially “Day after Day…” this is often not known from the outside and helps connect us all together during the course of the day.
As a member of the Delaware Humanities, I love that Patterson won the National Humanities Award in 2019 but it also is VERY important to know – the Humanities are not just arts, they are helping to keep the pulse of our history, legacies, and where we move forward from those two elements. There is so much more to say about this event, but I encourage you to explore the National Book Festival schedule, and cross reference to videos available from these sessions. Yes there is much more to say about what else happened here, so that post is coming soon. Check out the highlights from the 2024 National Book Festival here!
Butler, PA. Obviously, Butler, PA is now in your view for a variety of reasons that before, not many people knew I was from there, let alone what Butler, PA was known for. Yet there are many exctiging things, positive things, that did, and have come out of Butler, PA.
Let me point something out – returning to my hometown and preparing ideas for our 1990 Butler High School Class reunion- the first time I had been to my high school SINCE 1990 – I was surprised and grateful for the Principal and Assistant Principal taking time to meet with us (Thanks Evan and Sherrie!) and recognizing the changes Butler, PA has had in demographics and the impacts on Butler High.
Some information on these two leaders:
Some exciting things you will start hearing about what is happening at our BHS –
A four-year starter in football, he was the starting quarterback as a freshman on the 1991 team that won Redbank Valley’s first District 9 title. He was also a starter on the 1992 team that won another district title. He was a First-Team All-Conference at quarterback as a freshman and senior, Second-Team All-Conference as punter as a sophomore and First Team as a junior and First-Team All-Conference as kicker as sophomore, junior and senior and was named KSAC Back of the Year his senior season. At graduation, he was also the all-time leading scorer in Bulldogs basketball (currently third) with 1,253 points.
“What I want to focus on tonight is being humble and being not totally about myself,” Huffman said. “The power of positive people is why we’re all hear tonight. The common themes are a strong family, check. Tons of support, check and most importantly you have coaches and people in your life that make you do things that you’re pretty sure that you can never do.”
“I love being around kids,” Huffman continued. “I’m the crazy guy that’s agree to have about 911 11-and-12 year-olds in middle school and I love every day. And at the same time, I try to coach as much as I possibly can coach.”
and Assistant Principal (Class of 1989 – Mr. Doug Ford) and on the School Community Committee for Organization and MC for the Butler Tornados 2024 Awards Ceremony:
They both took the time to meet with us as a reunion planning group and provided endless insight into what BHS wants to accomplish. Evan will be presenting you with some cool and generous opportunities they are willing to provide for our Class of 1990.
However – meeting Ethan Morton hosting a boys basketball camp
of all ages truly defines the direction that BHS is taking in the community. I do believe, in attending the BHS 1990 reunion in June 28, 2025, we as the class of 1990 have a chance to help make an impact that will positively impact our legacy at the 100th graduation class. Also to make amends for things that did occur that we wanted to occur while there. I do believe here is a chance of how we can make a mark, each of us, but I was pretty proud of what one alumni, Ethan Morton is doing as a legacy as well!
Sports is one way to get youth to support them in their future. We have so many alumni from the class of 1990 that have skills and abilities from sewing, to investments, to IT tech, to drama and theatre arts, to SO MUCH MORE – I hope I can help expose those from our class, and others, to support the legacy of what can be and is becoming in the future.
On July 11th we celebrated and thanked Gary and Holly Focht for the inspiration they provided to the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy as board members and contributors of moving us ahed with so many advances. We wish them the best of memories and times, as we know they will, as they move to Maine and look forward to their successes there- and are grateful/thankful for their countless hours here!
Obviously, with a day of well -needed and deserved rain, we found ourselves inside – but not without a long list of projects to develop and work on. So we did…
I. We further discussed the project of designing a system of breaking down plastic and converting such plastic to items to resell and repurpose, following the Precious Plastics model. We have reached out to many a institution and university, hoping we can collaborate to make this idea a reality to turn plastics in our schools and community repurposed and a path to being used again for the future.
II. We look forward to meeting with representatives of the Sussex Preservation Coalition and finding ways to work together for a more efficient and reenergized community that we find ourselves in all over Delaware. Additionally, we want to find a way to work together in the future and have events that are in collaboration with our nature-environment based organizations in DE.
III. We discussed Geocaching and introducing this back to the communities that surround us, to explore the environment in new ways. The ideas of a scavenger hunt but also utilizing coordinates to see the environmental details of landscapes around us is always a learni ng experience.
Between III and IV, we had the pleasure of interviewing the builder of our new NRWC building, (Charles Shiery and Shiery Construction) and creating a podcast based on that currently. We discovered some great insights into what we have as a work space currently.
Thank you Shiery Construction and Charles Shiery- Interview podcast with NRWC /Upward Bound Math & Science student, Marleny.
IV. We have been discussing the development of a pollinator garden at the NRWC offices and want to explore more from the University of Delaware, as well as finding ways to have a living classroom around us when we work outside.
V. We discussed clover and having this as a living mulch option. We are discussing ways to make this happen and we found an example of this as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkd9S–1-kM
VI. We are asking a Seaford Cross Country staff member, Edsony, to reach out to the XC coach and see if we can include them on our July 27th event at the Vince Morris Trail at Chapel Branch (more on that soon below).
Upward Bound workstudy Edsony preparing silent auction items for the Lolly Festival July 27th!
VII. We continue to work on presentations and projects that best represent each week we have been working on various ecological topics, and discussed developing the Week 3 presentation where we were discovering indigenous species native to the area from our visit to a living native environment in week 3.
VIII. We played a cool game known as, yep, Poop Bingo.
We played several times and worked on developing species native to the Chapel Branch area and creating a game based on what individuals would see and discover at the Chapel Branch Trail. We reached out to a NRWC member to get some help with developing our own game based on our own area. We came up with over 48 items native to the area we are located at in Chapel branch trails and hope to develop this game to represent what the visitor to the trails would see.
IX. We began developing ideas for the NRWC online store to represent various items to maintain as a way to represent the NRWC in the community and online (Student-created, nature-based jewelry, hats, coasters, totebags, fannypacks, bumper stickers, golf ball sales, and more!
X. We looked ahead to see if there might be a possibility of our NRWC students presenting at an upcoming inservice for teachers and providing ways to connect all disciplines in to activities into ways to involve youth in their immediate communities.
XI. We made an excursion to the local public library to print out copies advertising the upcoming Lolly Festival on July 27th – and planned planned planned.
We always have visitors and always like capturing them as well:
XII. With overhead transparencies, we hope to create ways to develop cool tools to identify local fauna, animals, and more and create an interactive activity with this.
XIII. Of course we worked on what will be the Lolly Festival July 27th – celebrating all things nature, the environment, and our involvement within. The weather might have been ugly but we made so much progress in plotting, planning and created, with the environment at the center!
Mark July 26th on your calendar and definitely scan or enter your RSVP to attend and take part in the activities led by our work study students that day from 9 -12. We are working with about 15 RSVP’s and hour from 9 -12, so reserve your spot to see how they have incorporated the environment into an outdoor classroom for our Delawareans (and bring some spending money we have some amazing silent auction items thanks to SoDel and DogFish Head!
As we ended the day with warnings regarding the weather on the horizon, we also saw a promise of hope on our horizon too!
Hot. Yes, absolutely, extremely HOT. Which made today’s planned trip even more important. Thanks to the generosity of community members Glenn Mellin and Lenny Truitt, the NRWC Upward Bound students, with last year’s volunteers as well, Christian and Brianna, Upward Bound Spanish instructor Ms. Martinez and her niece, and my cousin and newly adopted member of our family Toto (recent graduate from Galludet!) we visited the aboretum, which provided treasure after treasure. From 8:00 -11:00 AMish, we discovered treasures of trees, plants, and plans of Indigenous peoples’ planting in the Delaware peninsula. We dived into the availability of their published book, Ritual Landscapes.
I do not want to take away the thunder of the presentations the students are in the midst of creating currently, but after this excursion it was obvious, thanks to guidance, how the plants and trees indigenous peoples purposely planted in areas provide a literal grocery store of food everywhere you look. The irony is this is vastly often overlooked when we look at certain plants and trees, not aware of the potential they can provide for nourishment. We all filled notebook after notebook of details, genus, and scientific connection to so many aspects of trees, plants, and growth simply not seen anywhere else in the state.
It was deeply moving and inspirational. The countless images of environmental treasures in the below gallery show you how rich with information this experience was. (I refrained from naming and classifying these as our students are putting the oomph! into their experience and this will be upcoming!)
While there are links to lists of native indigenous trees, we learned from Glenn and Lenny how some trees actually serve less insects and life than others, and when this knowledge is retained, it is a more productive way to move forward and encourage trees serving more populations of insects and life to survive over those that are less serving to so many types of wildlife.
After a information pack-filled day, we returned to the NRWC property, and sat down to plan a variety of countless projects to complete in the lessening weeks we had ahead. We ventured out after a couple hours of planning and rehydrating from the heat, and chose a section of ground that needed to be reestablished as a flower bed under our bat boxes, to be prepared in the future for seeds to bring back wild flowers in that section.
It was amazing to feel how incredibly hot it was even in the shade, and yet this reminder, of how crucial the valuable information we have been handed down from indigenous populations is important to us today. Without future generations that can see and find ways to bring us back to what matters most, the future surely is a dismal and very hot one.
While this seems ages ago – so much front loading of plans occurred!
From continuing to drag out the large event tent at 8:00 AM (early start) and attack the cleaning of this – to tracking down the parts we need for 2 replacement flaps,
this large project is being hit head on to work on erecting this tent as well as to figure out usage!
At 9:00 AM we had a super exciting surprise from Steve Schwartz and Randolph Guschl, former DuPont employees as well as current representatives of the Delaware Foundation for Science and Math Education (DFSME) providing a Shine the Light Award to us for our work and education in Science and Math. Needless to say, it was an HONOR to receive such an award but on top of that, these two esteemed individuals provided back history of the involvement of DuPont in the area. We even had representation from the Seaford Star present too!
I did appreciate these community members discussing how many unknown things that were done to the environment were then largely unknown of the repercussions on the environment and how vital it was, and is, to take proper measures to take better steps to protect the environment. Always this rests on many people’s minds, and as a total group of concerned citizens, we try our best to carry forward the effort to do better by the environment. The students received cool mini flashlights, I generously received a gift card, an iconic flashlight, certificate and more great info about the DFSME. We definitely will be able to make connections to the DFSME with the work we are doing together with the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy.
As part of the effort to keep bringing in additional experts in the field for the NRWC students, board members Holly and Gary Focht visited the trail and taught and showed the impacts of invasive and native species for our environment. Additionally, Mr. Gary Focht showed all work study members how to properly use a chain saw and the dangers of doing so – and the precautions to take as a result of them. There were trees in the way of a sign on the turn and with the proper trimming and now, visible as it should be!
Thanks to NRWC volunteers, Seaford’s FFA educator, and community members, several security cameras were installed along various parts of the trail for future protection of various aspects of the nature trail.
After these several hours, we moved into planning phase for creating a community festival called the Lolly Festival for families to occur at the end of July.
From there we moved to working on turning milk and juice containers into bird feeders to be given away at the Lolly Festival. THEN we distributed what would be the next community read dealing with the resource of water (hunt) – and broke into divisions to outline and break down the contents to connect with references to what readers would be coming across as they read this next community read book.
Finally, we created a Photocircle application that will contain all our captured photos for Upward Bound WorkStudy, 2024. Believe it or not, we were humming constantly through each hour and moving forward on plans that will keep the NRWC in front of the community to be involved.
Yes! We have some exciting and amazing things planned for the community in 2024 for the Upward Bound/Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy Workstudy!
Planning a community open house for a Chapel Branch Nature Trail event for July 21st – open to adults and youth – free (but open to donations) event- full of free giveaways, a silent auction for some local gift baskets received, games, a nature trail walk and tons more!)
We mowed the grass on our NRWC building property
We did a first inspection of the trail and clipped various places where vines/thorns were reaching onto trail
We unleashed the NRWC 50+ person banquet tent and tarted cleaning
We started generating on ideas for an upcoming, new community book read
We discussed future projects coming up:
Wild flower seeds planted under bat boxes and what is to be planted around Chapel Branch Trail sign
Update kiosk with new information for the public
Checking on surveillance cameras on the trail next week
Precious Plastics grant idea to create a local, youth operated recycling of plastics business
Preparing for a local native indigenous arborium in Seaford and a podcast pertaining to this based on Glen Mellin and Lennie Truitt
Setting up a podcast interview with current and former NRWC executive directors, Marlene Mervine and Lisa Jo Frech.
Former NRWC executive director (first one!) – podcast!
Creating a podcast opportunity with the NRWC building contractor, Shirey Contracting for paths of insight into the Upward Bound workstudys interested in engineering.
That was just the first week – stay tuned for some major developments forward for the NRWC and community youth as we work together!
In investigating and deep searching Rebekkah Smith Aldrich’s novel, Sustainable Thinking, and thankful for her time at the MLA/DLA Conference – there are many great pockets of information that public libraries and school libraries do, and can do to help educate many on what their libraries can do for them as community members.
Here are the some of the positives libraries do and can do in the first ten chapters.
Chapter One- Disruption- There is absolute fact that being passive versus being proactive has its implications on the perception of libraries and their value. This applies to the role of librarians and how they perceive the opportunities around them. There is no secret that librarians’ time is sacrificed and often deleted from daily schedules, and put on a back burner of value. It is difficult to have school librarians negotiate community involvement without give planning time to meet public librarians halfway find those paths to be proactive. It is an absolute truth that libraries do indeed influence a community and can enhance a community when given a chance. Being able to be proactive comes from being recognized as an entity from administration to have an opportunity to be proactive.
Chapter Two- Beyond Our Walls – Having situational awareness of what is needed and how a library can help is crucial, and certified librarians are trained to assess situations around them and find how to best support the needs of a community. There are a number of disruptions on these levels that interrupt students every day- environmental, political, economic, technological, and social. Yet, a clear path and guide exists for students to have a chance to evaluate information, resources, and support for opportunities with our libraries. Many are unaware of these opportunities and we have a chance to show and appeal to strategies to be allowed to reach these needs to our patrons. Public and school librarians, working together, help navigate unknown minefields. I do agree that we need to leverage the wide view to improve the long view and libraries are equipped and trained to do so.
Chapter Three- Back to Basics – Certainly Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs takes precedence in times when so many students are in need more than ever before, due to circumstances often out of their control. Self-transcendence and mapping helpers in the community that can help and echo the resources that are available – this goes hand in hand with being able to see where a library and librarian can fit a niche that is missing. I love the fact that a long time ago, Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots allows individuals to map their community find what resources exist and are missing, and make evaluative choices to provide those missing resources. School libraries are counted on to do that on a daily basis – public libraries absolutely. Together, their ability and time to work together can change everything for the better about a community.
Chapter 4- Survive the Earth – One of the most pressing situations in front of us has been climate change. It is a good reference to check out the Yale Program on Climate Change – but there are so many nonprofit organizations that exist, locally, that can provide opportunities for youth to shine, lead, and be a part of a community that changes things for the better for our world. School Libraries certainly need to be present to give youth that opportunity, and public libraries the resources to reinforce those leadership opportunities outside of school walls.
Chapter 5 – The Most Important Thing- Building resilience. In a time where school libraries and school librarians are being removed, reduced, and discounted over technology to do the very thing trained librarians of Information Science can do to add to an institution’s strength, resilience is needed now more than ever. Helping ALL to be heard and finding ways to have voices be heard – that is a school librarian’s specialty, that is what they are trained for. Finding their voice thanks to resources that might not be evident at first – yes. Covid unfortunately showed how school librarians can help students find their way. But it does not have to take a calamity to be able to let others know, school librarians/libraries and public librarians/libraries can fill the niches needed to support a foundation. Interruptions will happen, expected and not expected, and librarians and libraries are the safety net.
Chapter Six – Being Strategic – From comprehensive collection development plans, to seeing how school librarians can be strategically position to support literacy and working with public libraries, empowering learners as well as other librarians eliminate silos. Many of our students lack and struggle with long term thinking, and that is where Informational Science training comes into play. Libraries and librarians are TRAINED in areas of technology, information, strategizing, organizing, curating, investigating, and so many other categories, that can pivot to any discipline at any given moment. Many might not be aware of this and it is very crucial that libraries find ways to make and identify the deliberate choices that allow community members to havre the freedom to find those decisions that meet their needs.
Chapter Seven- The Why Behind the What – I love the value placed on the why. Old ads of Apple that created this sense of breaking away from the mundane and normal were referenced. There is certainly nothing mundane and “normal” about how libraries navigate the avenues of choice in today’s world. Referencing the West Vancouver Memorial Library as one single example, there is no substitute, in ANY FORM, of a librarian that is able to keep in sight of what they need to do for the community. Losing sight of what libraries do for a student, adult, community, etc. is never happening when the knowledge of what libraries provide to patrons is made clear. Always focusing on the WHY versus the WHAT is one of the most valuable assets librarians hold close to their profession.
Chapter Eight – Core Values of Librarianship– Without a doubt, the qualities listed below need to be exemplified and emphasized to community members so they are aware, this is what a school and public library stands for:
Intellectual Freedom Professional Services Social Responsibility Service Preservation
Without the trust and opportunity to exemplify these characteristics to the community at large, librarians and libraries are handicapped. We need to press upon administrators and legislators alike, these core values are what are important to communities, and we need to insure school and public librarians are in place to reinstate these values to all that come into contact with their school library.
Chapter Nine- The Three E’s of Sustainable Libraries – Empower, Engage, and Energize. School and public librarians do this and persevere under situations and circumstances that would amaze most people. Many are largely unaware of these circumstances and situations, and in order for school and public librarians to stay empowered, engaged, and energizes, and to pass these qualities onto future generations, knowledge and support needs to be freely available. Period.
Chapter Ten – WHAT- Local Supports local. I cannot say enough about how much local matters. Local businesses, local leaders, local agriculture, local employment, local opportunities, local influencers, local supporters, local information, local success. The best thing ANY local community member can do is find out the statues of their local school library and librarian, public library and librarian, and find ways to support them, voice concerns over their needs, and to continue to support their path forward. This cannot be realized or stressed enough.
These are only ten out of 25 chapters that provide a roadmap of how school librarians and public libraries depend on the knowledge of what libraries are able to do day in and day out. Stay tuned for a continuation of more but in the meantime, PLEASE dig into how and what is happening with your school and public library, and how you can support their role, in supporting your community.
Whew. What a year in review for schools, education, libraries, literacy, advocacy, youth empowerment, youth leadership – youth possibility. This comes in all forms – finding ways for students to be the faces of legislative hall, Girls Who Code, hosting on air radio personalities and YA authors, this year students took charge and ran with so many events when give the reins. Following library legislative day where for the first time, we put students at the very front of advocacy to explain what librarianship means to them, we discovered … our library is and has always become…
…a workshop.
A planning nucleus of projects to be, a place where students can regroup, plan, strategize, create, and implement.
The workshop identity has served us well and to those stuck in the iconic idea that libraries are where books happen, wellll, they are only 30% correct. With the warm welcome of Senator David Wilson visiting the Walter P.J. Gilefski Media Center on on May 31st, the word transparent with Senator Wilson’s visits made us realize how lucky we are to live in a state where some legislators are so transparent where they stand and what they believe in. From the actual dedication of the Walter P.J. Gilefski Media Center to the support Senator Wilson has given to FFA programs, to his deep support and involvement in open space preservation, agricultural and farming initiatives up and down the state, we sat in the Woodbridge High School May 31st as he enlightened us on his involvement with various logistics of the many ties and connections he has had with agriculture. farming, land legislations, and so much more; so many people in and out of legislative hall and around the state became part and parcel of our conversation.
Very rarely do many get the chance to be able to learn, chat, and hear the history of Delaware unfold in front of us as it did with Senator David L. Wilson as it did this day. In addition, as our Woodbridge students, who did not have to be at school that day, one came back to escort Senator Wilson around school and talk with him about our concerns of maintaining healthy librarianship in the state. We appreciate this past year legislative hall student lobbyist, Carley, showing what she is capable of over and over again. Certainly the sky is the limit when opportunities exist and individuals are willing to grab them.
In addition, our architect of a unified literacy program that has taken off involving vocabulary, comprehension, and writing, (Mr Weiler) utilizing noted researches and practitioners of literacy and combing them into one solid, collaborative process, was introduced and discussed with Senator Wilson, was a breath of fresh air in being able to chat with him about this.
We agreed that students and educators need to have a plan that will activate and allow both to grow, learn and apply to address what often are the basic foundations of learning that are often missing. Hence, many students are pushed forward without truly acquiring the solid, retainable knowledge needed before moving to a next level ; they cannot work effectively missing the basic knowledge they need.
To have conversations as these, on an academic, literacy, and alongside areas of community history is to truly realize what and why a school library media center and a certified librarian is necessary to be an activated learning center. A nucleus of learning, creating, disciplines, and a place to contemplate and having the time to be able to entertain discussions with a large representation of community members, in order to really understand the deeper, powerful potential school library spaces have- is a best kept secret for those that do not know. Absolutely, books are definitely NOT on the decline when represented as being more than containers of page after page after page of have to reads.
No.
Books become a coveted tool when found in places that school libraries were meant to be found and known as – centers of inquiry, possibility, and in this case amplifying the transparency of wisdom of a Delawarean senator, while considering a literacy framework architect that designs programs allowing students to grow, and students in turn take on roles of leadership to be voices that normally are not amplified.
Being able to involve Senator Wilson on the passing of a prize to a student for being a frequent visitor snd patron checking out materials from our library was so much better than simply giving a gift to the student. This student, who might not often have the chance to travel to legislative hall, had the opportunity to meet a DE senator on her own school community, and congratulate her, from a senator, on keeping the possibility of literacy in front of her.
It was fitting that we ended out invitations and welcome of legislators to Woodbridge High’s Walter P.J. Gilefksi Media Center with Senator David L. Wilson, as it felt so many pieces of information and names he was able to share with us just felt like a hometown visit, as it always does when students are involved in something that is our own state history.
We were grateful for legislators like Senator David L. Wilson taking time to stop by and let us chat with him about our concerns for future investments in school librarians in our state. As we discussed, we want more certified librarians, alongside students, to facilitate the knowledge and know how of grabbing onto opportunities and resources that introduce vocational and apprenticeship paths, agricultural knowledge obtained first-hand and through university study, with the many experiences of so many past generations that have so much wisdom to pass on. It seems fitting so much of this can occur in a school library, when you have one. Without one, we keep saying you never know what you don’t have when you never had it.
Senator Wilson kept apologizing when our students travelled to Legislative Hall on March 28th as he was being pulled in many directions for several meetings. After a whole day of being in legislative hall, and seeing the last minute moves we made from senator to representatives’ offices, we understood how legislators’ schedules are not the same as schedules outside of legislative hall and can change on a dime. Yet, Senator Wilson that day had provided legislative hall pins for all our students even with him being pulled here and there.
He knew we were there, he acknowledged us in the best way he could with meetings requiring his presence, he was 100% transparent about his beliefs, actions and abilities. Students picked up on this and indeed, realized, there are so many good things that can be done that should not fall into a discussion on being partisan to one specific group. There are so many important values that are nonpartisan, and one of the most transparent qualities we saw, aside from Senator Wilson, was the transparency of the ability and voices of students. Enabling students to be more involved in adult roles has some amazing impacts and all of them are earning lessons that we need as communities.
Yes, definitely school libraries are the workshops of invention we need, and we need to increase the voices of the very stockholders impacted by them, students. Added to that how interested and involved we became in tying a literacy program that engages students where they have needs at crucial points, Senator Wilson walked away impressed that so much research, time, and effort was being utilized to employ such detail to a literacy framework. It was refreshing to be able to talk to him about this. Where else would you want to talk about improving literacy BUT in the school library?
Thank you Senator David L. Wilson for always willing to travel the distance to see, hear, and impact our students, allowing them as students and leaders, to be as transparent as the school libraries and yourself. We appreciate you so much and love opportunities to learn first hand.
Definitely we have worked with literacy and advocacy, workshop-style and tied to our school libraries – that is who we are as a school library.
Let’s keep the ability to dream and create, moving forward and gaining momentum, creating possibilities for everyone around us.
Representative Paul S. Baumbach celebrating the excitement of student library advocacy at legislative hall March 28, 2024.
However, as we move slowly through and up to Chapter 14 (only two more left!) – moving at the speed we wish we could all the time matching with what trees see and feel day in and day out, we are amazed again.
Despite taking place in Colorado for this chapter, it did not fall on unnoticed eyes that the things we take for granted in our busy lives, rushing from here to there, often are the aspects of life we should stop and cherish more. Oh to be a tree. To be able to contemplate and slow down the events of our lives in much fuller perspectives than we allow ourselves time for. Believe it or not, slowing all down changes us as well as changes our lives.
So the questions begs to be answered, how much do trees communicate with each other, feel, and notice? You will be pressed to find a chapter where so much has not been delved into and researched and discovered as our Chapter 14. In the process, of course you will find and learn much about yourself, if you give yourself time to.
One last irony- Yugen. In 2017-2018, in Mexico City, the Repentino. staff of The American School Foundation chose Yugen as their literary art magazine theme.
Was it coincidence that we revisit this over six years later? One would think when we surround ourselves with slowed down memories of events that allowed us to also discover a little bit about who we are, those memories are more likely to come back to us and mean even more, than the moments we push through to just get from A to B.
PAVEing a Blog 