Despite the what many people view as holidays that fall into days, weeks and months, if used and applied to better our communities and the future of our world, they take on new importance to younger generations.
We are lucky to have Black History Month and heroes to look up to. You can take away the statues of those struggled and won over adversity and against racism, but those are simply icons of some amazing people that will remain forever.
This depraved act reminds me of so many false narratives and beliefs about so much around us today. If ever anyone needed to know why certified librarians and qualified educators are needed to be supported in their communities to desseminate information, it is today. Navigating information is more than reading, hearing, and seeing information.
There are depraved acts and depraved people that do not act for the diverse country we are – we depend on individuals to uphold the true nature of what America is – despite oppositions and negativity of all kind.
There are hosts of people that think they know what is best for educators and school librarians without ever having their experiences. Positivity and commitment to what is right will persevere. As many groups that want to conceal truths and mask with false truths, there are more individuals and groups that strive to keep information, education, and experiences on a level that is truthful, respectful, and resists negative, racist, derogatory, and false claims. I want to be kn own to belong to the latter group.
After an amazing first day at AASL on Thursday – and having never been to Tampa, I was ITCHING just to see what the backbone of Tampa was like.
Following an amazing Opening General Session and Keynote, we headed to the Historic YBOR District. We being, how COOL was it that we had colleagues from Delaware together, and heading out on an adventure – it was amazing to be with Tom Gavin, Jen Ashby, and Susan Elizabeth Cordle outside of what we normally only saw of each other at meetings and such.
Taking the TECO street car there (free!) – EXCELLENT and loved. After seeing the YBOR District to me resembled much of what the main street of Mardi Gras would seem like with the historic store fronts, to see it is the only way to experience it. Settling in at Carmine’s we ate like kings and queens, with a waitress that was amazing. While claiming to have THE BEST Cuban sandwich, I would say – it was good but I wanted to wait to see if it was the best :) As we roamed the area we came across a Karaoke establishment and colleague librarians and despite stereotypes, the librarians RULED the night with karaoke, it was just – the BEST. Called the Double Decker, packed with the librarians, and especially amazingly cool librarians from the Dakotas, it was such a relief to not be worried about proving our professions and celebrating our accomplishments.
Friday- October 20th – whew. the layers of information we were scheduled to receive, and how this could be taken back and shared for goos use with our states – I was impressed.
Being gracious in attending the AASL Awards Breakfast, it was so exciting to see so many librarians celebrated as they were advocates for librarianship in so many ways in their home states. There is so little time or opportunity for librarians to get together to just learn, talk, and share outside of the internet and often, the hands on, sit down approach is what is needed to advance so many more aspects of honing our librarians to be the best place possible, essential even.
From the breakfast to the Friday general Session (I was so excited to see SORA being a sponsor of this general session as we have had great success with implementation of this service in our state) – speakers Heather Harding (Executive Director for Our Shared Future), Cameron Samuels, (YES! A student representing some topics worth examining in the Katy Independent School District in Texas), and Karen Smith, a board member in Central Bucks County, Pennsylvania, all helped begin a discussion on points all advocates of literacy are involved in, protecting the right to read. This mixed panel was AMAZING and huge tale aways from this session:
-I loved that the opening statement that Public Education is the foundation of our constitution – LOVED.
-Karen Smith, from the 4th largest district in PA, (2o0 miles north of Philadelphia, considered a purple state /county, was able to discuss the first hand struggles that had been ongoing with The Moms for Liberty organization in Pennsylvania.
-When the second panelist, a student from Texas, Cameron Samuels discussed the policy changes in his district, where books had been labeled as inappropriate materials, “classics” were being asked to be defined (not sure WHY this was so valuable to deciding what is considered a “classic”, and by whom?), the fact that 68 books had been challenged immediately in July of 2022 when the policy passed was concerning.
-It was obvious the community itself had not wanted this to occur at all, and yet this was occurring in the policies at the school board level. It has seemed 20 people and 20 people only out of the rest of the community had pushed this policy through, and at this point ACLU come onto the scene to see what a policy that was not a favorite to the majority was being passed.
-His ability to gather student’s voices together to be the voice that dictated opinions about texts was very very successful.
-Cameron stresses how vital is it for an extreme minority to no be able to push policies forward the community at large does NOT want, simply by being active and educating the community. Youth have a GREAT power to do so, Similar to Muslim extremists not representing the basis of Muslim religion, parallels can be definitely seen here in actions that can educate individuals on actual tenets of literacy.
-With a 600% increase in challenges since 2019 – let that sink in- it is obvious politics are landing on the front steps of schools.
-Cameron’s point that Banned Book Month is so much about education and litereacy was so so true- and he referenced how many Jewish students in the past have been registered as “skipping” when there are holidays not recognized by schools for Jewish students.
-Cameron questioned as a student how the Holocaust was not in his school curriculum (How?) and how individuals that are gatekeeping the narrative are not involving the opinions and interests of students themselves.
-Cameron mentioned is seemed this has been never about the books the books are simply the medium.
-Cameron as well as Karen Smith discussed how the school board is the best defense for these types of movements. Misinformation in the public needs to be addressed and discussed before policies that are rapidly passed, without proper information is received.
-Book policies instituted help increase the fair stance of a book and a theme, its topics, and how it is presented to be examined before radically “banning” anything.
-The point was made that parents have always had a chance to reach out to librarians, always. The main problem is – many parents are not even aware there is NOT a certified librarian in their school and if the parent is so unaware of this fact, or the multiple roles a librarian media specialist serves the school, how easy is it to simply censor or label material inappropriate when you do not have a certified librarian to help discern material appropriate for a collection? The answer is very easy and hopefully the public will begin to see the difference and purpose a certified school librarian has in the sequence to all of this.
-it is VITAL that certified librarians everywhere are doing their job but even more, so, TALKING about their job as we are here- otherwise, how possibly would anyone know outside of the stereotypical idea of a librarian, what is entailed?
-Ms. Harding stressed how vital it is for librarians to tell their stories, EVERYWHERE. There is no such thing as stealing information from librarians, it is called empowering each other.
-Bookstores and librarians, have been, and always will be, role models for how to deal with adversity, restrictions posed on freedoms, and how to analytically, methodically, positively address obstacles such as many are facing today.
-Librarians and librarians are indeed the third space students need to find solutions to obstacles of all kinds, as well as solution they encounter from all areas.
-Attending meetings, board meeting, librarians attending division / department meetings, DO NOT REINVENT the wheel, There are so many skilled and experiences librarians from every state that can support each other based on their experiences, and as a result, they are supporting students from all over the United States.
-Giving out books that have banned in some areas is a HUGE help to the students that cannot vote quite yet against such radical actions, AGAIN, Independent bookstores and certified librarians want to know avenues of how to meet their patrons halfway.
-Despite this being a hard time for librarians to telling their stories (librarians and book companies are being threatened, laid off, reduced in positions, sued, fired, harassed) again, FIND out of the myriad of librarians those that can share their resources and experiences and utilize that to support your student’s needs.
–When books like Rosa Parks are banned, books that help students navigate middle school like All’s Fair in Middle School is being limited to patrons, it is time that one major trait and talent school librarians, have, to utilize media to educate, inform, discuss (isn’t that what we are doing here?) to counter mismessaging about books that are perfectly aok to provide at the appropriate levels (excuse me, but having a certified librarian in the house makes the statement that you know the professionalism and expertise such a person brings to the school is valuable) is activated.
One of the backbones of this amazing General Session on Friday was the impact that school librarians, with youth, with youth, with school boards, with parents have and can have. Minus a certified librarian in the mix and it is SHOCKING to see the down spiral of what is missing and what occurs. This is vital that the public sees what an impact certified school librarians, and that education received, has on any educational institution.
Having a bit of time at the end of taking this all in (it took awhile, 8 pages of notes and alot of contemplation) I was able to wander through the vendors and one of the best encounters was seeing the University of PITTSBURGH (Mary Kay Biagini was in the house!) represented at Tampa, my home town connection (and having had seen them at our own Maryland/Delaware Conference this past May, this was SUCH A HIGHLIGHT. Having talked with Dorcas Hand several times from Texas (via email) AND her being a gracious part of our October PD in Delaware, it was so exciting to see everyone IN PERSON and meeting new colleagues along the way, and a background of Pittsburgh to boot.
L to R – Mary Kay Biagini / Chair, Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship Associate Professor, Kristi Kaaland /Antioch University in Seattle, Dorcas Hand/School Library Advocate, Strong School Libraries Retired as Director of Libraries at AOS
Following an amazing morning accepting the Toor Scholarship as well as attending an amazing workshop session on Echoes and Reflections – An AASL Author Talk on Collection Development was offered – which was my current class at Florida State University as I was creating a Collection Development Policy for my own High School Library. I wanted anything I could obtain regarding constructing a solid Collection Development plan. Her session was EXCELLENT.
The AASL Opening was phenomenal. There is a huge reminder that school libraries should definitely apply to the National School Library of the Year by January 01. Calvert County, Maryland’s Public School system in 2021 won, and no winner in 2022 (travesty) – so APPLY!
Sylvia Knight Norton- Executive Director of AASL helped encourage the phrase “Let’s Try This!” when it came to initiatives that school librarians are always willing to take on – as a characteristic of the determined school librarian. She reflected on being in this position 10 years ago and how so much has occurred in that time.
ALA President Emily Drabinski discuss the need to advocate and bring up over and over the need for Every School to be staffed by a certified librarian. The long-term impacts are priceless as I know, and many know, but many more are unaware of this fact. It is our job to inform on that fact and enable this asset.
Yet, leading up to the key note speaker, Nikkolas Smith, ARTivisit, would be mind-blowing and energizing. Stay tuned for that information coming shortly!
As we begin to move towards the year 2024 – there are many loose ends that have not been addressed worthy of 2023 spotlights. A look back at the success of Festival of Words was one of them.
The traditional Authors pass the mic at the author panel!Author Ryan D. Gebhart Authors addressing the attendeesAuthor’s panel in the morningThe registration table to start your dayMisty Boyle, Andrea Rashbau, and Christina Personti, push out an amazing FOW 2023Nicole Gabor’s CatwalkDelaware Public Library’s All You Need to Know tableHockessin Bookshelf’s TreasuresPoetry is……never out of styleOne stop shop for poetry on the spot!Let us customize your search for treasureUDLIB is everywhereCaptain Blue Hen Comics with much adventureBracelets to support other countries returns!DASL has many ways to keep you involvedWe couldn’t have said it better ourselvesFarmer Abe is in the houseKelly Lidji’s hauntingly exciting tableMisty Boyle made out with DASL table prizes as a memberLet us DASL you with opportunityE.S. Rosalynn teams up to informWant to create a world?Recipients of bling and prizes from FOW!Illuminating letters with Jennifer GreerWinners of amazing raffle sponsors
With all good intentions, we wanted to have all authors interviewed and podcasts posted BEFORE Festival of Words. It just didn’t work out that way – however, with the first of two podcasts with author Ryan D. Gebhart, it provided us a look back and a chance to revisit aspects of Festival of Words 2023.
Going into the festival, we found the numbers attending were definitely higher than the previously year, and what didn’t change was the massive support given by the planning committee coming from ALL walks of life, from teachers, librarians, retired educators, DLA, divisions of DLA, the state library system, and the authors themselves.
Certainly when you hear a Festival is going to highlight and feature local authors, some might think of this being slightly less adequate than some of the larger conferences that bill and bring in famous authors and big names. Yet, the opposite occurred. The authors, bookstores, even the original prints of @MedicGrizzUniverse and companies that supported Festival of Words could not have been more comfortable, inviting and personable – and each one of them were celebrities in their own in the connections they made with the attendees. Authors served as mediators of panels, reached out to authors at their individual tables, and were available many times in between sessions, and the overall themes of local, approachable, connecting with interests of attendees, this was all present.
Were there aspects that needed attention to from an administrative level? Of course, there is always room for improvement and having the ability to come back to the drawing table and list those within a week following the event was and is a strength in finding ways to reach readers, librarians, and literacy advocates. Yet, seeing so many librarians, adults, young readers, teachers, authors, and representatives of bookstores, state service groups. and some of the most creative tables (Did you NOT love the antique typewriter and being able to receive a custom poem on the spot?!) – every minute of the festival was active and had a literacy hum.
Students come in early for the AM author panelAuthor Aggie L. Jae is ready for incoming students@MedicGrizzUniverse was one of the most amazing illustrated stopsHard copy of an illuminated letter productPicture This with author Aggie L. Jae
Students browsing graphic art, comic illustrations, getting authors to autograph books, enter raffles for some amazing prizes by some amazing sponsors, becoming familiar with independent bookstores in our state, hearing authors apply their craft to the attendees and involving them, discovering what the Delaware Library Consortium can offer, seeing UDLib Search providing information that some did not realize before, and MUCH more – despite the 2:00 PM end, there was a sense of “this could go on for another day!”
More than anything, I noticed amid students spinning a prize wheel, making customized buttons, and discussing what DASL was, the authors from the moment they arrived to the time they left, were involved in so many ways from many different places (be it their workshop, their tables, walking amid questioning attendees, their panels, even at lunch). I found the authors as some of the most generous, thoughtful, giving, creative authors I had ever met in one location. Hands down. (Maybe I should say page down?). It redefined what local mean to me and what Delaware and Maryland means to me when the word local is applied. We are so incredibly lucky to have the authors within our vicinity that we do have, and this was evident on December 02 at Festival of Words.
Creativity put into buttoningChristina Personti, Button maker GURU in 2023!Button, Buttons, and more buttons at the DASL table!Harry Brake withChristina Personti, new face, amazing energy for FOW 2023!
One thing I do know, with the new faces we saw as a part of supporting Festival of Words 2023, we need even more to build on the successes, improve the areas needing improving, and continue to move forward in the areas of literacy despite the setbacks we have overcome. The most recent had been COVID, but now with so many other obstacles that rival literacy, we need even more individuals to support and grow what literacy can become in our state. Please consider being a part of the planning and idea committee for Festival of Words 2024, as seeing the number of students realizing how unique this opportunity was for them. We need you and your ideas, ability, and creativity as this was easily the reason so many important authors were able to be a part of this year’s festival. Please think about reaching out to Andrea Rashbaum (festivalofwordsde@gmail.com) in being a part of the idea pool for Festival of Words 2024 – and in the meantime, enjoy the wisdom we discovered at Festival of Words.
No, this is NOT currency, not a type of luggage, but what I found out was a society of individuals that have a long-established history of finding.
What I found out about geocaching: (Thanks to P. Littleton).
Also, caches/events cannot be submitted from the geocaching app…you must use a computer/laptop to create an event on geocaching.com
I would highly recommend finding several caches BEFORE trying to hide any. This will give you more experience on places that caches are usually hidden, types of containers to use, quality of containers used, how caches are placed, etc.
5.1 includes “Before hiding your first cache, we encourage you to find at least 20 geocaches. Finding a variety of caches makes it easier to create an enjoyable experience for others.”
The first geocache in Delaware is in Trap Pond State Park. The first Multi-Cache in Delaware is in Chapel Branch Nature Area but is not at any post…..the 1st stage is relatively near post #13 and the final stage is relatively near post #31….hence the name “Lucky 13? Or Vice Versa?”.
Geocache must be 528 ft apart so there is room to place more.
Geocaching Events are a good way to meet local cachers.
Geocaching is usually done alone, with a friend/spouse or in small groups.
You will need to set-up a geocaching.com account to get started geocaching.
Similar to the post office, despite hail, sleet, and snow, Geocachers are diehard explorers – and this is what makes Geocaching so interesting and part of a dedicated group. In the future, many students that participated in the NRWC summer work study program wanted explore these possibilities further in creating more Geocache locations and events, as well as spreading this a activity among younger participants!
Upon finishing James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store– I realized how amazing reading and authors can be when you find the correct one. Before I repeat, let me share with you the initial review on the book – (loaded with the how I came into contact with this book info to the review!)
I remember the first time at Slippery Rock University I became educated on what authors brought magic to my door I had never heard of, let alone knew existed, through a World Literature course taught by Dr. DiMarco – who, yes I somehow was infatuated with her ability to bring such amazing treasures to my doorstep – (I also just initially feel head over heels for her, lol – so the magic of her literary merit resources – I will never forget).
NOT knowing (and I should have) James McBride as an author before attending his closing address, it made me feel like I was the only not in on a major secret. After listening to his closing address, and then speaking with him briefly, I realized, it is VITAL that librarians, and let me be clear, that certified librarians alongside individuals who are not certified, be a part of every school. The same lightbulb of discovery has a chance t go on when such a profession is found valuable by ever school in a district.
Evidence of the above claim was when Steve Inskeep and Traci Todd both visited schools and the impact they made on so many youth. Another example three days ago- right before break – a young lady in the high school – who had been bugging me for weeks about these books :
When I was able to kick my behind and move on getting them to her BEFORE break from our school library, SHE WAS SO EXCITED, as if it was the best present she ever received. (That was an amazing to lead into the Christmas break).
I digress…but the power that can be found in humanities, be it authors, events, the third space known as the school library for student, it all was emphasized with reading Mr. McBride’s book. It is all worth it, but you do not realize it until you come into touch with such an event, person, book, etc..
I found it ironic that Mr. McBride made this closing address when he had just come from bailing his church out from the night before being overcome with mud from rains, etc – ironic when you read this book and see a connection, sorry no spoilers.
Additionally, his laid back, cool response to the crazy opinions of the media, the press, and just people in general was well received, it was a welcome temperament we see surrounding us. He just was – James McBride, and I learned so much from just his insights into the world through his eyes and experiences.
The fact that he put into this book so much from her experiences at The Variety Club Camp for individuals with disabilities, in Worcester, PA also was a deep and meaningful inspiration, and you will know what I mean and be AMAZED if you take so much of his book internally when you read.
On November 2, 2023, there was an amendment to the House Interior Appropriations bill offered by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA-10) that would have eliminated funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). It was rejected. When I think of the deeply connected values that Humanities bring to our world, that many are not aware of- instead of being angry and divisive, this is the chance to write to Representative Perry, and ALL our legislators and let them know, when there is NOT a bill to oppose, why the Humanities are so important. To me, this ties hand in hand with why I hope parents and community members can come together and see the value of school librarians, that are one step to these other amazing discoveries that fall under the umbrella of the Humanities.
In talking briefly with Mr. McBride it was obvious that his autograph
did not mean as much as what it represented – taking a fair, open-minded, rational, contemplative, and artistic view to all that we hear, see, experience, touch, feel, taste and live, In doing so, the material, initial reactions to each other will lead to deeper, more meaningful experiences. So much of that came out of his book, but emphasized the impact when we live those very rational, open minded fair actions among each other.
The focus of how Jewish, African American, and white communities interacted and influenced each other (more times in negative ways to each other than positive) and finding the younger generations more open to building bridges rather than walls said so much. Being able to capture this said even more. You leave James McBride’s novel with a realization of how much we can be grateful for, should be grateful for, and need to be grateful for. That might be the best Christmas that does not need to be wrapped, given all year.
“…Appreciate everyone for who they are…”
“Fiction allows your dream to come true.”
“The sum of your life is what we pay attention to.” – James McBride.
Door decorating contest- what can we do, What Can We Dooooo? Then it hit me – as we are putting together a renewed number of the WHS Girls Who Code Club students together – we wanted to try something different. a few weeks later, days and circuits and a closed circuit, chibi lights and – well – YES!
In ONE night ladies – AND one male student NOT a girl named Travis, all pitched in and put a STEAM idea together and wanted their window display to be just that, a display of what thinking outside of the box meant as the past week. CSED week came and went but DO NOT THINK for one nanosecond the Girls Who Code of Woodbridge High were sitting back on their laurels, lol.
When I asked who jumped out to them they said:
and we put together a plan for that door decorating contest that would put them outside of their comfort zone- ELECTRICITY and LIGHTS – and one one night – they threw themselves into the mix, Girls Who Code style. 🙂 Even more impressive was the way one lone programming individual, not a Girl, jumped in to support them – thank you Travis!
Along the same time, this article came out – and as a librarian, just having the chance to recently meet with representatives from every state in the U.S and hearing how often librarians are questioned about why their profession should be a profession, I realized this. Many do not realize school librarians and libraries, are connectors, just liked close circuit projects. What makes the light go on for students?
The spaces that exist in school librarians, allow young ladies to dream to put into existence those dreams, and to share those dream. Within the span on ONE day, we had students attacking puzzles and using those thinking skills amid a school day, designing and modifying 3D printer objects and using THOSE thinking skills, along with future engineers, coding gurus, science and math interested individuals and THJAT my friend is what librarians are all about- we need to remind people school libraries are HUBS of connectivity, and we need to support them just as the state if Illinois is – Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia Florida, Utah, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Ohio, we ALL have school librarians and school librarians that need support, a chance to grow the spaces their students needs to find, and spaces for students to continue to feel as if they can create, grow and share.
It seems as if given a chance, students can see what is in a snow globe like world, and break out and apply all to the world around them,
and make dreaming ideas a reality. Their comment about school librarians and libraries – that they did not KNOW that such things occurred in a library ring true as many do not HAVE school librarians and school libraries to see what can occur. Let’s change that for them now, which ultimately, can be the best present they could receive this year!
“We are our own best PR.” This resounded and carried with me from the recent AASL conference, from some amazing representatives of We Need Diverse Books, (Cornelius Minor, and some amazing authors in this closing presentation) in Tampa Bay. FLORIDA. Of all places where the misunderstanding of what librarians do to benefit the educational system, opposed to those who feel librarianship is a detriment.
As I graciously sat at the table of Giordino’s sharing the commonalities of issues that public libraries, as well as school libraries find themselves in- here is a preliminary list that had come up in discussion over the last four hours, from New Hampshire to Delaware, to Tennessee alone.
-Being asked to sign state agreements to what we would do as librarians that go against the very nature of librarians and librarianship
-The politicization of literacy, from restricting, removing, and censoring fights to the fights for being heard at local, state, and national levels of being recognized as a professional, who is certified to look out for the interests of patrons, not push political agendas.
-Encouraging librarians, parents, and community members to stand up and join together to promote literacy, respect differences, and find common ground where exposure to diverse topics is available, not being pressured to restrict.
-Protecting / and growing the organizations that help support the lack of support in librarianship – ALA, AASL, state library organization, and individual state school library organizations.
-Finding justification for certified librarians to perform librarian-based duties (weeding, collection development supporting school curriculum, supporting schools through initiatives that promote literacy and media skill knowledge
-The ability to inform the general public, community members, and business leaders how librarianship has changed, morphed, and grown into a ever flexible position that many are now aware of or how it benefits students in general.
-Not having to justify (or fight for) the reasoning for obtaining a Master’s of Information Science to adequately represent this field. Individuals with Master’s, (sometimes, 3 or 4) do not have the same training, education, and/or experiences that trained Certified Librarians have – despite the.number of years going through levels of various education, the TYPE and DETAIL of the Master’s of Information Science is a completely different set of rigorous requirements that deep dives into a warehouse of skills to best activate research, investigation, promotion, implementation, and facilitation of some of the strongest aspects of what the education realm needs currently.
This was just the tip of the iceberg but by ALA finding ways to bring all states (and stats) together, as we found out on on first night of just meeting each other, when states come together, their shared communications of hurdles help generate ideas and processes forward that can be the very tools we need to have legislators also willing to hear and understand.
Certainly as a past president of the Delaware Association of School Libraries, something has to be shown to be a movement FORWARD in educating students in what librarianship WAS and what it IS – and why this matters to anyone who listens to the radio, reads a newspaper, notices information on their phone, or enters a conversation that impcts their present and future status as a community member in some format.
Certainly as was states, librarianship has NEVER just appeared to do something secret or devious. Librarianship was never made to be politicized to be a scapegoat or blame name for what is claimed now as a medium for carrying a political agenda. Librarianship has ALWAYS stood for the means to increase openmindedness, freedom of literacy, freedom of choice, freedom of speech, to celebrate the freedoms the constitution provides to us – but not to be wielded to someone’s or something’s agenda, ever.
It is up to us as librarians to continue to invite, collaborate across borders, and share the very skills that are carried in being a librarian to show that we are a hub of disseminating ways to understand and promote literacy in order to reinforce the very concepts of our educational system. Be it private, charter or public school, be it public library, medical library, professional or special collection library at the heart of librarianship are the hearts of the community needs and the professional librarians that can plan accordingly to those needs. There never have been factions or agendas beyond that now, and we do need to educate and inform our communities possibilities, creativity, and opportunities exist at every corner. This has never changed, nor is this service closed to anyone. We indeed can do that and have been doing that under the title of a librarian and need to question why, this service, that has been a part of librarianship since the 19th century.
When we get into the spotlight – it is for promoting each other and the role of librarianship, and we can each do our part to shine the light of what librarianship in the correct form, means to the community, our state, the country.
Run? Several of our Woodbridge High students decided to do just that – dedicate a Sunday to supporting younger runners that may or may not have someone to run with on a Girls On the Run 5k event. Thanks to the collaboration of Phillis Wheatley, the mention of this event from a colleague, and the coordination from Carol Bean and Kim Chitty, and Carrie Townsend, this turned out to be a much (MUCH!) bigger deal than anyone expected.
Pulling up to the site on a VERY damp, OKAY, a LITTLE cold 🙂
drizzly Sunday in Dover, I was overtaken with HUNDREDS of young female runners in Tutu’s,
Moms and a TON of Dad’s being pulled by their young female runners, and HAD NO IDEA I had landed in the Delaware State Girls on the Run 5k – these young runners were AMAZING for taking on this challenge and from the assortment of hair paint, stickers that promoted their event that landed on their face, bandaids that decorated their faces, to the bobbly head gear, very soon, the drizzle and the rain coming down had NO claim on the excitement that was bubbling among all of these countless schools representing these young girls on race day.
Being paired up quickly with Phillis Wheatley runners, it was more than difficult to stay together when the start of the race was announced – within seconds all could be different with your placement. With that being said, as I ran I was completely taken in with what I saw and heard:
Dads pulling their young runners on the inclines
Moms encouraging their runners to slowly increase the length of their sprints.
Young runners pulling their Dads up those same hills
“Next year, I want my Dad to be able to be here!” and stories of how the young ladies either thought this was a million miles long (depending on the course to them, the steps and eventually miles up and down inclines COULD in fact feel like that over time!) to the amazing young runners that were done before anyone expected
I was completely enthralled in seeing individuals I recognized, among THRONGS of runners
and walkers – that represented our community. Mayor Genshaw and daughter a familiar employee of Petco with his daughter, and in the middle of it all, I was witnessing our Woodbridge students -Logan, Suzely, Jasmine, Charlie, and Kaileb – and they were inspiring these young runners, and I felt were being inspired themselves. Between them all we represented the Girls Who Code Club, the Riff Literary Magazine, Middle School Track and Cross Country, as well as obviously the Phillis Wheatley Girls on the Run team.
The feeling/vibe/rhythm of the event was amazing and no weather conditions could push down what I felt was the best run our WHS team has participated in this season. I was so so very proud of what each of these individuals did to take time on a Sunday to make it even more amazing, and the insights into what can be done with differing levels of schools, runners, students, and just awesome people in our community come together. One of the best Sundays one could expect, that can happen on ANY given Sunday 🙂
“When I started running we did nit have more than three of us, yet, here we are and we have a team three years later and I am a senior. The full circle moment today was that year when I found myself walking at this trail at Brandywine, a girl came running up to me and grabbed me and saiid “You are running with me” and we did!” Today, towards the finish, a girl ran up to me and said we’re running together!- and we did. It was full circle for me as an athlete and an senior.” Having this conversation with an amazing young runner from Indian River, who always went out of her way to come to our team and talk to us, and tell us she thought we were the nicest team, she ALWAYS made her way to our tent and included us in her day. It solidified for me, what makes a team is the individuals, no matter how many, and how they represent your team and school as a while.
Kudos to the WHS XC team – VERY pleased with the results from the first year for many of these runners.
First goal was to show gains from where they started. ALL showed major gains from the first day they set their steps on the trail to currently, ALL improved which is our first goal.
Second goal was to grow together and support each other as a team on and off the course – which they have done well.
Third goal was and is to grow together and mature in how they conduct themselves in front of others as an athlete, how they converse about the sport, among their athletes, etc.
They have come a long way in doing this and though there are still areas for improvement, the veterans continue to model this for the new runners. The new runners have begun to take in qualities of responsibility, humbleness, and believing in themselves. There is still areas for improvement as mentioned, for some on the latter two moreso, but this will develop, the future is bright.
The fourth goal was/is to not focus on the number of athletes but the quality of their presence at practices (to take them seriously as a meet), to be in the present and look for opportunities for improving their technique and running strategically at practice and at a meet, and finally to find every practice, every meet, a chance to push their teammates into a zone they have not broken yet. This is again, something that began to grow at practices and needs to be focused on moreso, but the gains made show in the times of the individual athletes ability to do the times they are putting in. I have seen athlete’s PR’s fall more and more in a season when they follow these above guidelines.
When oblivious of anything but themselves, times and success stagnate.
At the state meet, all athletes devoted themselves to the run, did not take the competition or meet lightly, and held themselves accountable for their performance. They did a GREAT job at what consider (and well as I) the toughest XC course in the state.
I hold myself and the athletes to a higher standard than winning with material awards, but how I feel as a runner among other runners, how I treat others as I want to be treated, striving to trade being humble and equating that to success, and representing the XC sport in its best light.
I can say at the state meet, I am proud of the way our athletes conducted themselves on and off the course, never blaming anything on anyone else, taking ownership of their run, and showing that XC is about commitment, celebrating the chance to share time and moments with others, and putting their own ego on the shelf to do their very best.
I always have been told, take the EGO aside, and put the “I go” attitude with others along the way, and you will be the most successful runner ever.
When we stop along the way of the season to eat together, heal together (despite feeling sick or getting sick, our runners often still participate) and instead of making excuses, the goal is for all team members to remove blame, remove negative comments about themselves and others, remove negative thought, and make space for one simple thing.
Run your best race as if there will not be another. This is the ultimate goal of passing down experience from our veteran runners to newer runners, and hence, will make the WHS XC team a better team.
I am so proud of the WHS XC team at the DIAA states, for many reasons that would normally go unnoticed and look forward to what they did right to carry on into their future years – still much to learn, but they have learned and done so much with the one season they have had.
Has there been frustration as coaches with a new dynamic of runners, ABSOLUTELY. We often hear among coaches the same frustrations, more time needed to focus on the task at hand, listen more, do not speak over me when I am talking, inappropriate words/conversations/focus (they are teens, so if you are not ready for that you are probably in the wrong line of work), more time management of running on their own, more time management and attention to grades, how they represent themselves in the classroom, how thew represent the team, how they represent themselves as an athlete/student/young man, young woman, putting regrets on the shelf and taking advantage of the PRESENT, putting the phrase “I am the best” aside and uplifting the phrase “I am better when my teammates are pushing me”, and maybe 25 more checklist items?
Yet, as a coach, unless we are willing to first magnify what athletes are doing RIGHT- to uplift them, and add one or two items along the way that they can improve, on, I fail as a coach.
I have MUCH more to aim for as a coach in areas of improvement, to not get frustrated and correct an athlete that does not cause them to feel bad; I want them to feel good about learning something – so again, I have much to improve on as a coach. What I do know is I am better for each athlete’s willingness to step forward, take a risk, and not worry about not having enough numbers and just bringing their best effort to the line. When they have bad days we deal with it, but we do not hold grudges, we resolve to learn and have a better day. Grudges create smudges, we do not need them.
The days when athletes told me “I can’t” and I reassure them they CAN – and they DO- hopefully this remains with them. I am more of a coach that wants them to come across these realizations themselves like a light bulb, with some light prodding in that direction, and I realize at times that a push is more needed, and so be it. I am still learning as well. But the success of any team is the ability to take the above 5 pieces of advice (and probably alot more) – and work with them and keep them in front of us every day.
Representing yourself as an athlete AND a student, representing your team, your county, AND your state is a HUGE ask for many runners than come into the program with alot of insecurities, trials of the magnitude we can only IMAGINE outside of school, as well as asking them to have faith in a unit of people they have never placed faith in before, let alone one or two people as coaches. And yet, setting that expectation is necessary for all to grow, as painful as it is along the way.
I am proud of the gains every single person, as well as the team, made on our team this year and am proud of what is possible when we consider, from coaches, to athletes, what we are capable of. This is something that is unique in Cross Country that not many sports have, We try to capitalize on taking time to walk and enjoy the surroundings we find ourselves in, eating ice cream, stopping for food and sometimes selfish rewards of sno cones, but all of that becomes even more valuable when we hold ourselves accountable top down, for the way we represent our lives –
Well done WHS XC, you grew and continue to grow as a team and individuals, and you have MUCH to be proud of!
It was awesome to see our team in the distance walking the course, as a speck. This helped me realize how small each of us are among so many, but how much impact we can each have as well individually, and together, no matter the number!
Charlie Hunt – 26:56 Placed 100. out of 143.
Irene Ernest – 29:00. Placed 122 out of 143.
Jasmine Swauger – 32:20. Placed 135th out of 143.
Matt Chisenhall – 22:14, placed 137th out of 181st overall.
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