Life Lessons in the Library

Did you ever walk into a convenience store and notice a sign that said, "No more than four teens allowed at a time" or something to that effect? Did that sign make you wonder exactly what had prompted the comment? Could it be the over-exhuberance of teens? Could it be fear of being overpowered by teens? Could it be the threat of theft or vandalism? I am not sure but I, for one, find signs like that not only insulting and disrespectful to our young people but also absolutely WRONG!!!!
I want to tell you a brief tale about four teens that I have come to know very well. Their story more than counters the slurs inherent in the sign I described. Their behavior, which is consistent and positive, more than balances any negatives created by their peers. Emily, Ally, Robbie, and Kelly are four Mt. Carmel seniors who elected to take an internship class called "Career and Leadership Development." For this class they have had to read, analyze,and discuss some materials on leadership, group dynamics, and organization. They are also required to create a project that puts this new knowledge and the inherent skills of managing people into action. What a grand job they have done!
All of these interns had been part of the great re-structuring project of last summer when they helped merge our elementary and high school libraries into one newly renovated learning space. Within this new learning space there is a children's room filled with what the interns refer to as "little kid books." The project was to provide a library experience, designed by the interns, for our kindergarten through second graders which would enable the little ones to visit the library, promote reading by sharing books, understand literature through activiites and discussion,and internalize the message of the book shared on that visit.
The interns started planning early in the year. Books (some favorites from years gone by) were selected. Activities were planned. A system for checking out books was devised. A calendar was created and invitations to the "little kids" were sent. Last week the first visits began.
Last Monday twenty kindergarten students marched in,took their places on a brightly colored carpet, and gazed in awe at Kelly, the very grown up "teacher" who read a story about the importance of sharing in families. Later in the week, Emily shared a story with first graders and noticed a little girl reading her newly checked out book--oblivious to everything and everyone around her. Emily, still a voracious reader, commmented that she had been a little girl "just like that" who loved books of every kind. Emily's story was about a man who loved a brightly colored coat which turned into a vest and then a scarf and then a button. She led a discussion about how we can hold on to those things that we love even when they change or look different. Of course,after that, there was much sharing about blankets and stuffed toys that had been battered by too many hugs! A day or so later Ally shared the story about a lady who swallowed a fly, a bird, a cow and a horse--Oh, my! Second graders made a collage and sang along with a youtube cartoon projected on a giant screen. Reading and technology was a grand combination! Today Robbie filled a rainy hour for first graders who learned a few word games a ended up designing a fanciful car for Ameilia Bedelia.
You probably think that I shared this project because of the excellent planning that went into it. True. You problably think that I am very proud of Emily, Ally, Kelly, and Robbie. True. You probably think that I am glad that all those little kids have books to take home and share. Also, true. Though all these statements are true, they are not the reasons I shared the project.
I shared the project because it reveals an important message about kids--the real lesson of this tale. If kids are given a chance to be leaders and provided with the skills necessary to successfully lead, they will rise to the occasion. If kids are given something valuable to do, they will do that task with respect and even love. If older kids are set up as role models for little ones, they will shine. As I watched my interns work on and implement their projects, I was touched by the energy they put into them, the care they took to accomplish their goals, and the sense of accomplishment they felt when the little ones enjoyed their lessons. I could glimpse the grown-ups they will be in just a few years--sensitive, knwledgeable, caring, generous. Though the interns shared valuable lessons, I think they learned some valuable lessons as well. "Don't eat flies, birds, cows or horses" must be near the top of the list but "Put your heart into what you do" has to be up there as well!