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Greg Mortenson; humanitarian, mountaineer, author and founder of the nonprofit Central Asia Institute, stopped by Colter Elementary to visit with 5th grade students on Wednesday, April 2nd. The Teton County Library hosted Mr. Mortenson’s visit to Jackson, and we were fortunate to see him after he presented at the Jackson Hole High School.

Colter’s 5th graders presented Mortenson with a symbolic $2,000 check for a previous donation students made to the nonprofit with funds from the 5th grade’s annual fall apple sale. An individual student gave Mortenson an additional check for $200 from his grandmother, who had read Three Cups of Tea and wanted to contribute to Mortenson’s cause. Two students spoke about the class’s reasons for contributing to the organization, saying: “We felt the best way to change the world is for kids to help kids.”

Mr. Mortenson asked students to think for a moment about things that we have in America that children in other countries around the world might not have. iPods, clean water, and schools were a few items mentioned. When he asked what other countries have that Americans might not have, students chimed in with the it’s-almost-spring-break inspired”warm weather,” and a more serious presence in many children’s lives; war.

Mr. Mortenson showed students a DVD narrated by his daughter, which explained a child-centered fund-raising effort called “Pennies for Peace.” She describes places “where a penny can buy a pencil, and enough pennies can build a school;” rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mortenson has started 55 schools in these areas, and his presence in our school was a quiet reminder to be globally conscious, and to take advantage of the benefits of education that we enjoy so freely in America.

We had a great time celebrating literacy in the library during Read Across America 2008! When I sat down to count all of the names on the sign-in list for volunteers and guest readers, there were nearly 60 people to thank! Students in 18 classrooms welcomed guest readers from the community, and were excellent participants in read-alouds all week.

Here are a few of my favorite moments from the week’s activities!

Volunteer Firemen reading aloud with 4th graders.

Jackson’s Mayor, Mark Barron, reads about mad scientist Franny K. Stein.

Jackson Hole Men’s Moose Hockey players reading to 3rd grade students.

Summit High School students (2 of 18 throughout the week) show off their books.

Yikes! Stripes! for Mega Stripes Monday.

As our second trimester of school winds down, the library is winding up for an exciting week full of reading celebrations. March 3-6, we’ll join millions of other kids and adults who are “Reading Across America,” and go on a “Reading Road Trip” with our Scholastic book fair!

Read Across America (sponsored by the National Education Association) is observed on or around Dr. Seuss’s birthday (March 2nd) and is a sort of “pep rally” for reading. The CES library has invited guest readers from our community and school district to visit classrooms, read books aloud, and serve as “reading role models” for our students.

Special guests will include mayor Mark Barron, librarians Debbie Schlinger and Patty Rocha from the Teton County Library , members of the mens’ and womens’ Moose Hockey Teams, Brian Coe of the Jackson Fire Department, and students from Summit and Jackson Hole High Schools.

In addition to hosting these great readers, we’ll be holding the library’s spring book fair! Please come visit & shop during conferences, the evenings of March 4th and 5th to support literacy & learning with books! We’ll be here until 8:30 p.m. both evenings.

One resource parents may be interested in checking out comes from the NEA, and discusses tips for reading with 4-6th grade students. Reading is always a celebration in our library, but we’re thrilled to be able to share our enthusiasm with you and the broader JH community!

The magic of fantasy on the pages of a book translates beautifully to action-filled movies. This holiday season, several new children’s books are coming soon to a theatre near you! Find them on the shelf first, and let us know which books you think were best on the big screen.

• The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (FIC PUL)…12/7/07
• The Waterhorse by Dick King Smith (FIC KIN)…12/25/07
• The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black (FIC DIT)…2/15/08