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 :


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