Albion school, Hoag Library partner in afterschool reading program
ALBION – Della Morales, library media specialist at Albion High School, helps first-grader Drayson Shonerd put on a hat he made in the Popcorn and Paperbacks program at Hoag Library.
Morales and students in the middle and high school multicultural clubs have been reading and doing craft projects on Wednesday afternoons the past eight weeks. The program concluded its first series today, but Morales said it will return in the fall with a Popcorn, Paperbacks and Pumpkins theme.
There were about 15 regular elementary student attendees in the program. Students in the multicultural clubs would read books to the younger kids and help them with weekly craft projects.
Morales said the idea for the program popped into her head. She thanked Hoag Library and the school district for backing the effort. Tina Burgett, multicultural club advisor in the middle school and an art teacher, also was a big help, Morales said.
“It’s been a real cool program,” she said.
Participants in the program hold a banner they created that says Popcorn and Paperbacks. They are pictured by a garden outside the children’s library, where students planted flowers this afternoon.