2010 Mayor Daley's Book Club Spring Conference

The Mayor Daley's Book Club Spring Conference was held on Saturday, May 15th.
This annual conference is sponsored by the Chicago Public Schools Department of Libraries and Information Services and is the culminating event of the year for participating book club members in grades 7th -12th. 
Middle and high school book club students hear greetings from Mayor Daley, special guests and attend literacy and career oriented workshops lead by nationally known speakers, authors, artists and corporate professionals.   The highlight of the day was the High School Battle of the Books Competition where three high schools competed for the citywide championship trophy (Whitney Young High School was the winner).   This year, the DiscoPoet - Khari B. served as the Master's of Ceremonies.  Authors Allan Stratton, Earl Sewell, Kate Gingold and Monica McKayhan were special guests and provided workshops for the students.  

I began reflecting on this event this morning during my morning meditation and came up with a list of reasons why the Mayor Daley's Spring Conference is a success and positively impacts the lives of CPS tweens and teens: 

1.  The cooperation of the Department of Libraries and DuSable High School Campus staff members and students to make this event successful.  It could not have been done with them.  The DuSable High School Campus librarian, Sara Sayiah is just an angel sent down from the heavens!

2.  The numerous companies that donated books for the students:  Kimani Tru, Triumph, and Follett Resources.  All of the students left this conference with a bag full of books to kick off their summer reading.

3.  Our Special Guests for this event provided great workshops:
   The DiscoPoet - Khari B. - his flexibility in the gym and giving a presentation that about writing poetry and performing.      http://www.disco-poetry.com/index2.htm
   Allan Stratton - for sharing his very personal journey when he wrote 'Chandra's Wars' and autographing hundreds of copies of his book for the students.    http://allanstratton.com/
   Monica McKayhan - for providing a great workshop where students learned how to identify their talents and things that they like to do.  Thanks for the book Monica!  http://monicamckayhan.com/  
   Kate Gingold - for providing an insightful workshop on historical narrative and reality television.  The students enjoyed meeting this local author.    http://www.kategingold.com/   

   Earl Sewell - for autographing hundreds of books and giving a great workshop for all of the middle school students.  The "Keysha's Drama Series" really touched the lives of the students this year.   http://earlsewell.com/homepage.html 

4.  There were over 25 additional workshops provided on a number of subjects. 

• Writing and getting your book published
• Reader's Theatre (Chicago Public Library's Teen Volume)
• Financial Literacy
• Book Illustration

• Bookmaking
• Database usage for research for students
• Motivational speakers
• Family genealogy
• Preparing for college financially
• Public speaking etiquette
• Mexican and African-American storytelling
• Performance poetry
• Hip-Hop Yoga and Relaxation Techniques

 All of the presenters were great and appreciated because they donated their time, talent and gifts for the students.  Special thanks to authors Naleighna Kai/J.L. Woodson and Top Ladies of Distinction - Lincoln Park Chicago Chapter for securing external donations for the students that attended their sessions.

5.  The Mayor Daley's Book Club facilitators for taking time out of their busy Saturday to chaperone their students at this event. 

Carol Rezmer, CPS Librarian and Mayor Daley's Book Club facilitator said it best, "Books become more real when kids meet authors."  This is so true.  Connecting kids to books, authors and giving them the experience of meeting adults that work in a variety of professions is a valuable experience that the students will never forget.

It's Graduation Time!

I'm going to divert my usual posts and share a very personal story.

My cousin/God sister Jessica graduated today from St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans, Louisiana.   I couldn't attend this event because of my responsibilities with the Mayor Daley's Book Club Spring Conference this weekend...so I'm missing out on the fun with the relatives.  

As I reflected on Jessica's life, I thought about how this young lady is so well spoken, an excellent student, and her participation in several theatre troops/clubs in and outside of school.  I also thought about seeing her for the first time when she was a baby...these kids grow up so fast!

Jessica and her family are very special to me and I admire them greatly.  Her parents, Johnny and Denise are both believe that education is the key to success.  Their family decided to stay in New Orleans and re-build their home after the devastation of HurricaneKatrina.   Along with re-building their home, they never lost their focus for their children's education.  Johnny and Denise continued to send their three daughters to Catholic School within the New Orleans area despite the cost...how many families do you know could have done this? 

Along with the girls parents, their oldest sister Sabrina is a role model for them as well.  Sabrina has a Bachelors and Master's Degree and works at a local New Orleans University teaching music.  These positive influences have resulted in Jessica's admittance to Loyola University of New Orleans!  Do you agree, Oprah Winfrey needs to feature them on her show? 

Along with maintaining good grades at Dominican, Jessica is active in her church, a computer whiz and a friend to many.  The future is bright for our 2010 High School Graduates and let's salute all of these young people across the country.

P.S.  My family is eating crawfish as we speak....man I wish I was there!     

You Don't Even Know Me: Novel by Sharon G. Flake.mov

I just have to thank author Naleighna Kai for putting this book in my hands today.  When things calm down for me personally, Sharon Flake's "You Don't Even Know Me:  Stories and Poems About Boys" will be my next book to read on my reading list.  The following is a reprint from Flake's website, http://www.sharongflake.com/: 
            
"They fall in love, plot revenge, seek to be understood. They sit in class, show their colors, date your daughter and dream of making it big. But do you know them, these brazen, brilliant, bold young men walking among us? In my new novel, young men celebrate love, mentor younger boys, wrestle with HIV and comtemplate suicide. They dodge adults, brag about becoming president and wonder if they’ll be alive in the morning. Boys: Do we know ‘em?"

Poems about boys....just priceless.

"Teenage Love Affair" by Ni-Ni Simone

Not since Anne Schraff’s “Someone to Love Me” has teen dating violence been discussed as candidly as it has in “Teenage Love Affair” by Ni-Ni Simone. The story opens with a letter to the readers from the main character Zsa-Zsa, a Newark, New Jersey teen. She explains to the reader in her own words that 'love is good, easy and free but the most important love is for you'. Words spoken from a teen that has seemingly has everything: a closet full of designer clothing, envy of her classmates, her own vehicle and a fine boyfriend Ameen who has a serious swagger that is pure ‘fiyah.’

Zsa-Zsa and her widowed mother have a strained relationship. We learn that instead of her mother spending time with her and her little sister Hadiah, she instead begins to date again and spend time away from the home. To add to her unhappy home life, Zsa-Zsa’s annoying Cousin Shake and Ms Minnie come to live with her family to help ‘bring order in the house.’

When her childhood sweetheart Malachi moves back into her neighborhood and tries to re-kindle their relationship, things become rocky between Zsa-Zsa and Ameen. Ameen becomes jealous of the way Zsa-Zsa looks and feels about the good looking and charismatic Malachi and takes his insecurities out on her. The abuse first begins verbally, and then escalates to physical abuse. Like most teens, Zsa-Zsa’s doesn’t confide in her friends or family members about the abuse until it becomes painfully obvious. After a violent attack by Ameen that leaves her unconscious, both Zsa-Zsa and her mother are forced to face old demons and make changes that will affect their lives. Author Simone reveals that the mother endured years of abuse by her deceased husband and the abuse was witnessed by Zsa-Zsa, Hadiah and her older brother Derrick. The reader watches Zsa-Zsa as she painfully struggles to break free from Ameen’s abuse and influence and begin a loving relationship with Malachi.

New characters, ‘Asha the Diva’ and the ‘Tiny and Toi’ reality show TV lovin’ Courtney round up Zsa-Zsa’s ride-or-die friends. Family members Toi, Seven, a Cousin Shake and his new bride Ms Minnie and provide comic relief to this otherwise sensitive teenage story. This book would be a good choice for a book club because there is a discussion guide at the end of the story that encourages teens to discuss teen love, dating and relationships. The chapters that describe the sexual relations between Zsa-Zsa and Ameen and the sexual tension between Zsa-Zsa and Malachi are not graphic in description but would be more suited for high school library YA collection.

All of Ni-Ni Simone’s books currently appear on the 2010 Quick Pick List for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. I like Simone’s books because they are hip, tackle issues that affect young teens today and have crossover appeal to adult readers. Her latest book, “Teenage Love Affair” is sure to be a hit with teens and I’m sure many more will follow.