Thursday, June 18, 2015

Drop Off Backpack Attack Donations at the Library

Backpack Attack is here again!  Along with the other two Boone County Public Libraries in Thorntown and Lebanon, and among 25+ locations, the Hussey-Mayfield Library is again a drop-off site for school supplies for the United Way of Central Indiana’s Backpack Attack.  Collection boxes are located near the main entrance on both public floors and school supplies may be dropped off between Thursday, June 18th and Monday, July 13th.  Students from all 10 elementary schools and 7 middle / high schools in Boone County will receive backpacks filled with school supplies to help them begin school this fall with some of the school supplies they need to be successful.





Backpacks have already been donated and it’s the fun stuff to put inside them that is needed now.  Priority items include:

•    Loose-leaf notebook paper
•    Spiral notebooks (no college-rule)
•    1” 3-ring binders
•    Dry-erase markers (black & blue)
•    #2 pencils
•    Scissors
•    Yellow highlighters





 






Also needed:

•    Colored pencils  (12-count)
•    Crayons (24-count)
•    Washable markers
•    Glue sticks
•    2-pocket folders
•    Plastic pencil boxes
•    Index cards






There are several opportunities to volunteer with the Boone County Backpack Attack in July and August.  Call Katie Hedge at (765) 894-1686 for more information or use the mysignupgenius website to sign up.







So, while you’re out shopping in the next few weeks, pick up some extra school supplies as outlined above and drop them off at the Hussey-Mayfield Library to be put in backpacks for kids who need them.  If you have questions about Backpack Attack, please contact Boone County Backpack Intern Katie Hedge at (765) 894-1686 or Katie.Hedge@uwci.org.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Inspiring Real Life Heroes for Children to Read About!

This summer, children might be interested in reading about ordinary people who have a big voice.  Whether it is the audacity to ask questions, the need to stand up for injustice, the courage to persist in impossible situations, or maybe it is the need to help someone-heroes take many different forms and often have an interesting story to share; the Summer Reading them is, after all, Every Hero has a Story!  Here are some real, high-interest stories you might like to share with your family.

Picture Books to share

Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand- This rhyming picture book tells the amazing story of a four year old child with cancer who decides to raise money to help herself and others.  This summer, your child might like to participate in Alex's Lemonade Days to fight childhood cancer one cup at a time!

On a Beam of Light- This simple biography about Albert Einstein teaches us that sometimes it is important to ask questions. You might also like to read about The Librarian who Measured the Earth; he certainly liked to ask questions, too!

Wangari Maathai appreciated the trees as she grew up in Africa and noticed as she got older that the trees were gone and the land was changing.  She started planting Trees of Peace, which created Seeds of Change across the land.

The Boy who Loved Math didn't know how to butter his own bread, but he was able to solve math problems that others couldn't, and he was certainly willing to share his gift of math knowledge with the world!



Who Says Women Can't be Doctors?  A lot of people did a long time ago until Elizabeth Blackwell paved the way for women.  She believed in herself, worked very hard and changed society.



For the Middle Grade Readers 
(Some of these books have topics that may be difficult for young readers to handle)

The Who Was? series is a great way to introduce children to biographies about interesting and important people.  They are high interest books and there are many to choose from. See which ones might be interesting for your family!  

Thinking Differently was frowned upon by Steve Jobs' teachers; he did not do well in school.  He had many failures in his life, but he did not succumb to failure, rather he turned those failures into great successes! 

Bill and Melinda Gates are also in the computer industry and they have donated at least 26.2 million dollars to education, libraries, and global development.  You might be interested in reading more about their philanthropy.  

I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World (Young Readers Edition) tells the story of one girl who wanted to go to school.  Her right to go to school was taken away by the Taliban, but she did not let this injustice destroy her belief in humanity. She stood up against the Taliban and spoke out for her right.  Her story of standing up for herself and for girls everywhere is a true inspiration; some topics you should be aware of that are in this book are war, violence, and terrorism.



Bethany Hamilton's story of survival is an inspiring one!  She has to face the challenges of losing an arm after a shark attack.  She does not give up on herself and she figures out how to overcome.