Renee Newry

Newry’s winning program, “Society of Awesome Readers: (Summer Book Club),” was initiated to create common ground among the students at Farine Elementary. Language and literacy are foundational skills that all students must have to be successful in school. Researchers agree that students in poverty often lose language and literacy during the summer months. The school has a large international community and although the students speak different languages, come from culturally diverse backgrounds, and have varied socio-economic levels, the library is a place where students can meet on common ground. The project’s main objectives include teaching the skills necessary to become effective users of ideas and information, selecting resources that meet the learning needs of all students, opening access to the school library during summer book reading club hours and increasing parent circulation and parent visits. Also, it is essential to choose books that are age appropriate with a theme or interest to students of various ages and teaching the skills necessary to become effective users of ideas and information. The students will learn to describe story element and events, tell stories, become interested and motivated to read books, maintain a reading log throughout the summer, and improve communication and social skills through reading discussions. Newry lives in Irving.