Happy St. Patty's Day with What's Up?!

At my program at the YIC tonight, the residents will learn about folktales from various cultures. In particular we will read aloud the Caldecott Honor book Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe and an old Irish folktale about a Leprechaun. We will play Mancala, a simple chess-like game originating from Ethiopia, and an Irish memory game where we will learn about Irish culture and Saint Patrick's Day fun!

Residents will receive copies of the latest issue of What's Up? magazine and will be given the opportunity to look through library books on folktales and Ireland. We will eat a treat together as I answer any and all library questions!

Black & White

I am getting ready to head to the Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center where we will read snippets from Paul Volponi's Black and White.

For an ice breaker, we will start off with two truths and a lie (how appropriate!). For fun, we will play Balderdash (the classic bluffing game, great!). Then we will read parts from Black and White and talk about the characters.

Black and White is about two star high school basketball players, one black and one white. They experience the justice system differently after committing a crime together and getting caught.

We will discuss integrity... what it means, who do we know that has integrity, how do people of integrity influence the world... What happens when someone does not have integrity? Have we seen this happen in history? etc.

We'll take time to write and look through library books about being a successful teen. Each resident will get the latest copy of What's Up? Magazine and a yummy snack. Residents will be free to ask any and all library questions and I will do my absolute best to give them great answers!

Preparing for a positive future

During my last visit at the Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center (YIC), I started the residents off with an ice breaker about what they want to be when they grow up! Many inspiring answers were in the mix, from an RN to a scientist!

We talked a little about getting to that point... making plans... setting goals. Then, residents wrote letters to themselves for one year now. They wrote about where they hope to be at that point, how they plan to get there, and the struggles they are facing in their current situations.

Next, the residents took an assessment of their personalities to find out what jobs might be interesting to them. Some of the answers (of course) were a wee bit outlandish, but others were right on target with their current hopes and dreams! Some results gave inspiring options and (I believe) may have opened some doors of thought!

We looked at resumes and talked about what makes them successful. The residents performed a few silly "what not to do" interviewing skits, and then one very fine young gentleman showed the group "how it's done."

We ate a snack together and I let the residents pummel me with questions about their local public libraries in Lancaster County. It was a very successful evening, and I hope they enjoyed the experience as much as I did!

Issue 5 of What's Up? Magazine RELEASED!

Here it is! I hope you enjoy reading the best writings from the 2009 magazine submissions.

If you haven't been here before, "What's Up?" is compiled quarterly by the Library System of Lancaster County's "What's Up with the Library?" program held at the Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center. The writings inside are written by teen residents at the Intervention Center. They are a wonderful group of kids and they have talent!! Enjoy :)

Issue 5 2-3-10

New Books!!

Here are a list of some great new reads we purchased and added to the Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center's library! These were requests that residents made during my program visits. At the end of each program, the teens fill out an evaluation that helps me to tweak my program and create new exciting activities based on topics of their choice. They are given the opportunity to request books and other resources that can be purchased for their library. Here's some that were wanted and fulfilled!

Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Several Teen Ink books - This are comparable to Chicken Soup books but are all by teens about teenage life.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Tracker by Gary Paulsen
Stitches by David Small - This one's a graphic novel!

I am confident that these selections will be very well read. They seem to be common favorites among teens today, and I was so glad that in these hard economic times we can still purchase books for these teens!! They really need encouraging hobbies. And where they are currently located... they need something positive and uplifting to do with their spare evening time. I really hope we can impact teens in Lancaster County with BOOKS and ENCOURAGEMENT that the library has so much to offer... We can open so many doors of opportunity and possibility!!