Authors In Schools
Bookmarks is passionate about connecting the community with books and authors, and we are pleased to bring authors and illustrators to classrooms in local schools and community groups in the Piedmont Triad.
W H Y A U T H O R S I N S C H O O L S ?
According to Literacy Company statistics, more than 20% of adults read at or below a fifth-grade level, far below the level needed to earn a living in today's society. 48% of young children in the U.S. are not read to daily. More than 13 million children under the age of 5 go to bed without a bedtime story. Bookmarks hopes to improve these statistics in our community by bringing more authors into schools and by inspiring students to read and write.
When visiting authors interact with students, they answer questions about writing, the process of creating a book, their writing life, how to get ideas and write them on to paper, and the importance of reading in their lives. These experts in the field of writing serve as role models and offer children goals for them to aspire to.
Teachers also prepare the students before the author visits and for our author events. For instance, when bestselling author Rick Riordan visited Winston-Salem on tour for his new book, The Mark of Athena, Bookmarks offered free tickets to any Winston-Salem Forsyth County school (private, public, and home school). Media Coordinators were instructed to request the tickets for their students. Some librarians went a step further, inviting students to write essays, read books, and have trivia contests based on Riordan's books, in order to win the tickets. The students were encouraged to submit a question for Mr. Riordan, and nine lucky students were chosen to have front row seats and go on stage to ask Mr. Riordan their question at the event. After the event, free t-shirts were distributed to some of the schools.
By getting our youngest citizens involved in the literary community at an early age, they will hopefully stay involved and continue reading throughout their lives. In addition, by providing books to the children who attend the Festival, we know that we help children build their own libraries at home.
Teachers and media coordinators share the success of these author visits with us, stating that the children check out more books from the library written by visiting authors and are more excited about reading after an author visit.
W A N T M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N :
- Email Youth & Schools Manager Lupe Penn at lupe@bookmarksnc.org.
S U P P O R T A U T H O R S I N S C H O O L S
Bookmarks pays authors who visit schools a small honorarium. This removes financial responsibility from the schools and allows schools who do not have funds to receive this rewarding and enriching experience at no cost to them. As a nonprofit organization, Bookmarks has limited funds and relies on donations. Make a donation today and help us send authors into schools in the Triad and give free books to local students and media centers.
B O O K M A R K S H A S A R R A N G E D A U T H O R V I S I T S T O T H E S E S C H O O L S :
ABC of NC Arts Based School Ashley Elementary Atkins Academic Technology High School Bolton Elementary Brooks Global Studies (Greensboro) Brunson Elementary Caleb’s Creek Elementary Central Davidson Middle School (Lexington) Clemmons Elementary Clemmons Middle Colfax Elementary Cook Elementary Diggs-Latham Elementary Downtown School East Forsyth High Easton Elementary Fair Grove Elementary (Thomasville) Flat Rock Middle Forest Park Elementary Forsyth Country Day School Greensboro College (Greensboro) Griffith Elementary Hall-Woodward Elementary Hanes Magnet Middle Head Start of Forsyth County High Point University (High Point) JFK High School Jefferson Elementary Jefferson Middle Johnson Street Global Studies Kernersville Elementary Kimberley Park Elementary Kimmel Farm Elementary Konnoak Elementary Latino Achievers Club (through YMCA) Meadowlark Elementary Meadowlark Middle Middle Fork Elementary Mineral Springs Elementary Mineral Springs Middle |
Montlieu Academy (High Point) Moore Elementary Morgan Elementary Mount Tabor High North Carolina A&T University (Greensboro) North Forsyth High North Hills Elementary Northwest Middle Old Richmond Elementary Paisley IB Magnet Parkland High Penn Griffin School of the Arts (High Point) Petree Elementary Philo-Hill Magnet Piney Grove Elementary Poplar Springs Elementary (King) RJ Reynolds High Reagan High Rural Hall Elementary Salem Academy Salem College Sedge Garden Elementary Sherwood Forest Elementary Smith Farm Elementary South Fork Elementary Southeast Middle Southwest Elementary Speas Elementary Summit School Union Cross Elementary UNC Greensboro (Greensboro) UNCSA Wake Forest University Walkertown Elementary Ward Elementary West Forsyth High Whitaker Elementary Wiley Middle Winston-Salem Prep Academy Winston-Salem State University |