Six K-12 Libraries Win the Follett Challenge
RSSBy SLJ Staff
Six lucky K-12 media specialists are winners of the Follett Challenge, an award designed to recognize school libraries that creatively apply technology and content in ways that engage students, foster literacy, and promote critical thinking. The prize winners, who were honored October 27 during the American Association of School Librarians National Conference in Minneapolis, MN, will receive a total of $100,000 worth of products and services from Follett, a provider of educational tools and services to schools. Developed by Chuck Follett, Follett Corporation's president and CEO, the aim of the Follett Challenge is to encourage librarians to be their own cheerleaders and to advocate on behalf of their profession. A panel of five judges chose the winners from 125 submissions. "The Follett Challenge is more than just a video contest," said Follett, who was on hand to honor the winners and toast them during a ceremony in Minneapolis. "It's a challenge to the world to understand the value of the library." Nominees were required to submit a video submission as part of the application process, and the $100,000 in products and services was broken down as follows: first-place prize: $35,000; second place: $20,000; third place: $15,000; and fourth through sixth place $10,000 each. A sixth-place winner, the People's Choice Winner for best video, was based on public voting on the Follett Challenge website. Grand prize winner Isabel Chipungu, a media specialist at Ocoee Elementary in Ocoee, FL, said her win affirmed her belief in the role of libraries. "Receiving this award is so exciting for our school community as it shows the world what we have been doing to implement a successful library media program at our school," Chipungu said. "The media center is the heart of our school, and we not only support reading and teach literacy skills, but we encourage and reward student success." The award means that Chipungu can now add more relevant and exciting materials to her program and "continue the momentum for years to come," she said. "This achievement was the result of the whole school practicing our motto: 'Focused on Learning & Achieving Success ... Everybody Everyday'." Here's a list of the winners and links to their videos: Ocoee Elementary School; Orange County Public Schools; Ocoee, FL; "Creating A Culture of Literacy"; Isabel Chipungu, media specialist; $35,000. As part of her K-5 program, Chipungu produced a play based on Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar to help encourage academic engagement through the arts. She combined that by weaving in schoolwide reading challenges every nine weeks, along with using digital whiteboards, databases, and storytelling to improve skills and keep learning fun. Post-test data showed that 100 percent of the students made learning gains. Eisenhower Middle School; North East Independent School District; San Antonio, TX; "21st Century Learning Libratory"; Teresa Diaz, librarian; $20,000. The Eisenhower 21st Century Learning Libratory (Library + Laboratory) is student-centered learning space that offers emergent media and resources with an opportunity to investigate, integrate, innovate, and interact. The Libratory program supports student engagement, literacy, and achievement, as well as hosts collaborative skills-based tech projects. It also sponsors diverse student-oriented reading initiatives and offers cross-curricular instructional support based on state standards and information literacy skills Flat Rock Middle School; Henderson County Public Schools; East Flat Rock, NC; "History Our Way"; Jennifer Northrup, media coordinator; $15,000. Northrup collaborated with an eighth-grade social studies teacher on a "History Our Way" research project to help students build valuable 21st century skills while engaging them in a research topic of their choice. Big6 research skills were taught to prepare students, and after two weeks of intense research and project development, they showcased their work in the media center. The success of this information literacy social studies project inspired many teachers to integrate 21st century skills into their own classrooms. Swan Valley High School; Swan Valley School District; Saginaw, MI; "Mastering the Art of Literacy at SVHS"; Kay Wejrowksi, library media specialist; $10,000. The media center promotes literacy across the curriculum, establishing the library as the heart of learning in the school. They do it by infusing literature, technology, interactive distance learning, civic responsibility, and best practices into everyday lessons and school projects. Each year, Wejrowksi selects a new theme that weaves lessons about human dignity and kindness with responsibility, and action through experiences with literature and expression-all while developing students into readers. Bennett School Library; Bennett School District; Bennett, CO; "A 21st Century Library At Its Best!"; Casey Veatch, district librarian; $10,000. The Bennett school library's model program—a 21st Century Library at its Best—fuses traditional resources with the latest technology and Web 2.0 tools, creating multiple programs that meld information literacy, technology, and collaboration. Students and teachers are trained how to use library resources and then become leaders, sharing their expert knowledge with the next group of novice users. Randall Carter Elementary School; Wayne Board of Education; Wayne, NJ; "Books and Beyond"; Laura Healy, media specialist; $10,000. People's Choice Winner This library is the epicenter of print and tech resources. Healy hosts one to two author visits a year and centers lessons around the author and the books he's written. Students are enticed by the author and his books by reading and completing projects. This year, Healy had her most successful program to date: she tied her reading program into an international theme. Students completed their Passports to Reading program, which covered various genres of literature. View all librarian and school video entries and get inspired!
November 4, 2011
Chuck Follett addresses winners
at AASL conference.
