Two Librarians Receive Amanda Awards

Aitchison, who works at an inner-city school, launched a yearlong program called "In Celebration of Heroes," providing several themed book displays, a speaker's program, and opportunities for students to engage with each other through reading.

The goal of the program was to expose students to daily messages of encouragement and tips for making successful life decisions, and to offer them a host of fiction and nonfiction books related to teen challenges, says Aitchison, who posts daily motivational messages on the front door of her media center. Students heard from local speakers who had triumphed over hardships—such as poverty, dysfunctional families, abuse, teen pregnancy, and even learning disabilities—to create productive lives.

Adams created a student advisory committee to help promote reading in the school. The program, which revolved around Accelerated Reader (AR), drew students from various classes to read in the media center. "She really went out of her way to encourage students to become involved in AR by becoming reader leaders," says Jami Jones, a media specialist at Barron Collier High School in Naples, FL, who created the Amanda Award after the death of her son's troubled girlfriend.

"We identified those factors that allowed children who were at-risk to rise up from their situation," says Jones. The winners each receive a $300 cash award, which is funded by Davidson Titles, a book supplier based in Tennessee. The award is sponsored by the Florida Association of Media in Education.