February 8, 2012

Read It Forward and . . . Change the World

I LOVE when enthusiastic school librarians come up with nifty ideas to get kids jazzed about reading.

Kay Hawkins, a Texas middle school librarian, is putting 70-80 copies of a certain book around her school.  (Hint:  It has to do with a hamster, Jewish apple cake and The Daily Show's Jon Stewart.)  The students are encouraged to find a book, read it, sign their name in the front cover and leave it for another student to find.

Random acts of reading!   Who doesn't love that?

To culminate the reading adventure, Kay has invited me to do an author visit at her school and another school in the area.  Whoopee!

But does she stop there?  Nope.  Because uber-librarians never stop there.

She's put QR Codes on the books, then taught the students -- during morning announcements -- to scan the codes to be directed to my Web site or to this video trailer that she created:




I love this video.  I love Kay's enthusiasm and the Read It Forward program.  Can't wait to meet Kay and visit the kids.  And it has nothing to do with the fact that she promised me good food and bowling while I'm there.  Who doesn't love good food and bowling? 

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And one more great idea to make this planet a better place (Thanks, Marsha!) . . .

Okay, young people, here's your chance to CHANGE THE WORLD (or at least your corner of it):

Youth Service America Invites Young Change-Makers to Apply for Disney Friends for Change Grants.  Youth Service America and Disney are accepting applications for its Disney Friends for Change Grants program.  This program offers young change-makers in the United States funding to help make a lasting, positive change in their communities and the world.  Youth between the ages of 5 and 18 in all fifty states and the District of Columbia are eligible to lead a project and apply for a $1,000 grant.  (Applicants younger than 13 years of age must have an older person submit the application on their behalf.)
For complete program guidelines, the eligibility quiz, and the application form, as well as information on previous grant recipients, visit the YSA Web site.
http://www.ysa.org/grants/disney-friends-change-grants.
Deadline:  February 29

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