Check It Out: Student Edition
We're ready to spill the tea on what happens behind the scenes at WOHS. You know
Wait, what's that, Travis?
Big yikes. Your librarians—slaying, snatched, rizzed out—apologize for ghosting.
We didn't mean to hurt you. We're just so college-and-career-oriented, y'know?
The gossip can wait until next time. Let's get to it!
Did you know that your LMC curates content for all manner of celebrations and public holidays? It's true, and our homepage highlights new materials every month!
This February, be sure to visit our Black History Month Resource Page! Chock full of handpicked, lovingly organized resources and edited with your education in mind, this page boasts everything from open web highlights to comprehensive fiction, nonfiction, and biography reading rooms! Won't you be a lamb and flock on over?
The LMC's Annual African American Read-In
The National African American Read-In (AARI) is a groundbreaking effort to encourage communities to read together while centering African American books and authors. It was established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month. This initiative has reached more than 6 million participants around the world.
Our annual African American Read-In will run on Friday, February 23 during Periods 3, 4, 1, 8, and 5. Many teachers have already registered their classes to participate, but all are welcome to attend so long as they possess a valid hall pass.
While you are welcome to sit in total silence, we strongly encourage all students to take the floor and do a bit of reading! You can participate in this celebration by reciting a poem or book, singing a song, performing a dance or routine, or displaying visual art of your choice. Whether you bring your own work, select a personal favorite, or borrow an excerpt from our table of exemplary samples, we look forward to hearing your voice amidst so many others!
See you there!
Read Across America 2024 Begins Next Month!
Launched in 1998 by the National Education Association (NEA) and guided by a committee of educators, NEA’s Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading.For the 2023-2024 school year, West Orange Public Schools will adopt the NEA’s March 2024 theme of Celebrate Diversity.
As such, it's our pleasure to introduce the NEA's Celebrate Diversity Book of the Month, Invisible Son by Kim Johnson! Here's the publisher's synopsis:
Andre Jackson is determined to reclaim his identity. But returning from juvie doesn’t feel like coming home. His Portland, Oregon, neighborhood is rapidly gentrifying, and COVID-19 shuts down school before he can return. And Andre’s suspicions about his arrest for a crime he didn’t commit even taint his friendships. It’s as if his whole life has been erased.
The one thing Andre is counting on is his relationship with the Whitaker kids—especially his longtime crush, Sierra. But Sierra’s brother Eric is missing, and the facts don’t add up as their adoptive parents fight to keep up the act that their racially diverse family is picture-perfect. If Andre can find Eric, he just might uncover the truth about his own arrest. But in a world where power is held by a few and Andre is nearly invisible, searching for the truth is a dangerous game.
Meme O'Clock
TFW bae trying to read your phone over your shoulder.
What's Happening in the Makerspace?
We all know our librarians are the CEOs of hands-on creativity.
It's Giving Caterpillars
This Spring, We're Serving Metamorphosis
Hey, yo. Let's talk about some fuzzy freaks coming soon to a library near you: painted lady caterpillars! These protein-rich bug sausages aren't just cute, they're also the change-up champions of the insect world, destined to become the stunning painted lady butterflies we all pretend we can distinguish from all the other orange flutterbys.
We're gonna get to know these doggies before they take flight, and that's right and just, cuz painted lady caterpillars are coolness personified. Let's break down their fire fit:
- Homies got tiny black bodies with rows of velvety black and yellow spines. Super goth, very classic swag.
- Spiky orange and white stripes running down their sides. The drip screams "Don't mess with me, I'm fierce!" (but the bois are actually pretty chill).
- Little munchy mouths with an appetite for all things leafy. We'll watch them nom their way through feed, knowing they're one step closer to becoming breathtaking butterflies.
But painted lady caterpillars aren't just pretty faces. They're also industrious engineers who build silk nests for protection, molt like nobody's business, and, in time, metamorphose into stunning butterflies.
So, yeah, keep an eye out for our painted lady caterpillars, arriving sometime this spring. They're a reminder that even the smolest beans can rock sick jawns and that ineluctable transformation is a part of life. (Plus, like your librarians, they're just plain adorable.)
Block Prints, Fam.
IYKYK.
Yo, fam! Are you totally nauseous from seeing mass-produced posters and T-shirts all over the darn place? Wanna express your artistic acumen but worried sick cuz you're a total art n00b who can't draw a stick figure without it lookin' possessed? Then block printing is your new jam!
Think of it as DIY magic. You carve your design into a foam or rubber block (kinda like the ones at Pilates), roll on some epic ink, and wakkaplowie! Instant bespoke masterpiece. Picture your crew rockin' tees with your killer designs or decking out your crib with wall art so unique, it'll prompt bloodcurdling shrieks of envy from all who encounter them.
Get ready to ditch the ordinary and embrace the block. It's time to let your freak flag fly!
Sprout City: March Veggies, April Flowers
Go off, seeds.
Yo, squad! Screentime is so cringe, amiright? We wanna hit the spring staring at the ground, not our phones. This year, your garden starts in the LMC.
Before you scroll past like, "Ew, dirt!", hear us out, bae. This ain't your grandmama's rose garden (unless your grandmama's low-key lit). We're talking epic lil patches bursting with vamping veggies and boasting the sort of floral finesse guaranteed to make your crush do a double-take.
Manifest with us, fam:
- Imagine snacking on scrumptious legumes you sprouted from, like, tiny seeds. Those canned store-bought beans could never.
- Visualize your backyard turning into a chill zone like no other. Think fairy lights, picnic blankets, and blooms so poppin' they'll rival your filter game.
- Close your eyes and search for the eco-warrior within. By growing your own grub, you're saving the planet AND your wallet.
Lest anyone doubt our dedication to inclusivity, listen here, son: anybody can garden. You don't need a mansion with a fancy lawn. You can transform a windowsill, balcony, or even a fire escape into a green oasis.
So ditch the FOMO, dawg, cuz it's time to get growing. Seriously, your future self and your taste buds will thank you. Here's what we bringin' to the func:
- Cute seed packets (full of gardening GOATs)
- Fresh, so clean dirt (don't worry, it's not gross, it's like nature's magic potion)
- Vessels (suitable for sprouts)
You just gotta show up. Ready to become a plant parent and level up your summer? HMU!
National Poetry Month Hits Different
Trochees Turn Up!
Word up, wordsmiths! April ain't just about showers and spring break (tho those are tight, too). It's also National Poetry Month, that magical time of year that introverts everywhere unleash their inner wordslinger and swerve all the haters.
Aight, hold up, don't panic. Deep breaths, bruh. This ain't ELA-grade verse; we don't traffic in the hard stuff. We're talking blackout poetry, machine art, and swoon-worthy writing challenges that'll blow out your mind and blow up your DMs.
Forget stagnant sonnets and rhyming like some boomer. Blackout poetry is like graffiti with words. Grab a newspaper, magazine, or even a book (rebellious, much?), grab some markers, and black out all the words except for the ones that speak to your soul. Boom! Instant poem, no writing required. Shakalaka dingdong hello nurse.
AI: we know what that is and we, like, don't mind it much. This year, generative AIs are getting in on the NPM action. We can, like, feed a computer a bunch of poems and watch it spit out trippy art based on the words. Or we can, like, tell a stack of GPUs in Iowa somewhere to hock up a ghazal. It's like a whole new way to express yourself, yo.
Whether you're a poetry pro or just dipping your toes in the word pool, National Poetry Month is your chance to get weird, get wild, and get creative. It's like a reboot of the Sally Jessy Raphael show, but with more asinine melodrama.
Remember, poetry ain't just sounding fancy. It's about expressing yourself, pushing boundaries, and having fun with words. So grab your markers, fire up your Chromebook, and get ready to drop some truth bombs this April. You got this, word nerd! (Like, a good nerd. Sheesh. Lighten up.)
Not Funny, Not Long
My pet iguana likes drinking brake fluid, but it's alright.
She can stop at any time.
LMC Volunteers Wanted!
Your librarians have been reaping the benefits of our redesigned Volunteer Program! This program offers students the opportunity to assist their learning community through the LMC; earn hours to satisfy volunteer requirements; serve as leaders among their peers; regularly visit and make use of countless library resources; and foster a love of active citizenship and lifelong learning in themselves and others.
Volunteer opportunities are still available to all WOHS students! The packet linked below contains everything you need to know about volunteering.
Mountaineer Book Club
Do you love reading? Are you interested in books? Perhaps you enjoy the occasional snack? The Mountaineer Book Club invites you to its forthcoming meetings!
The next assembly is scheduled in the LMC Computer Lab on February 28th—won't you join them? Literacy preferred but not mandatory; see Mrs. Binns for more details!
Wake up, babe. New library database just dropped.
Tired: MCU. (Superheroes? Cheugy AF. Take a break, Hollywood.)
Wired: PCU. (That's Pop Culture Universe, a subscription database from the big dorks at ABC-Clio.)
What's that? You wanna know how PCU breaks down decades of American popular culture?
Ask and you shall receive!
With Decades pages that provide fun and informative overviews of pop cultures through the decades, including movies, TV shows, awards, box office stars, fads, fashion, news items, and more.
With a Stories section that offers informative, at-a-glance articles focused on describing major events and trends in pop culture from the 1900s to the present, from the Gibson Girls of the Gilded Age to the social media of the 2000s.
With an Analyze section that guides users through the hot topics and key questions in pop culture, from advertising in 1950s America to the effects of rapidly changing technology on our communities.
With a Skills Center that provides proprietary research tutors and wizards to help students and researchers sharpen their skills.
Additional features include:
- Basic and advanced search options to return the most relevant results
- Standards-based curriculum updated daily by a team of subject-specific editorial experts and supported by an extensive range of instructional material
- Commentaries written by noted scholars that reflect multiple points of view and stimulate critical thinking
- Educator Support Site containing valuable professional development tools, curriculum guides, lesson plans and more
All told, the database provides more than 300 volumes of authoritative, published content—thousands of articles fully indexed by a team of librarians and subject specialists. Content is vetted, regularly checked, and regularly updated, and new content is added yearly.
Not Funny, Not Long Redux
What do you call an alligator in a vest?
An investigator.
From the Stacks
Being a pair of wholly organic, non-GMO, sustainably sourced recommended reads.
Alejandra Kim feels like she doesn’t belong anywhere.
Not at home, where Ale faces tense silence from Ma since Papi’s passing. Not in Jackson Heights, where she isn’t considered Latinx enough and is seen as too PC for her own good. Certainly not at her Manhattan prep school, where her predominantly white classmates pride themselves on being “woke”. She only has to survive her senior year before she can escape to the prestigious Whyder College, if she can get in. Maybe there, Ale will finally find a place to call her own.
The only problem with laying low— a microaggression thrusts Ale into the spotlight and into the middle of a discussion she didn’t ask for. But her usual keeping her head down tactic isn’t going to make this go away. With her signature wit and snark, Ale faces what she’s been hiding from. In the process, she might discover what it truly means to carve out a space for yourself to belong.
Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim is an incisive, laugh-out-loud, provocative read about feeling like a misfit caught between very different worlds, what it means to be belong, and what it takes to build a future for yourself.
“I was a devil in other countries, and I was a little devil in America, too.” Inspired by these few words, spoken by Josephine Baker at the 1963 March on Washington, MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellow and bestselling author Hanif Abdurraqib has written a profound and lasting reflection on how Black performance is inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture. Each moment in every performance he examines—whether it’s the twenty-seven seconds in “Gimme Shelter” in which Merry Clayton wails the words “rape, murder,” a schoolyard fistfight, a dance marathon, or the instant in a game of spades right after the cards are dealt—has layers of resonance in Black and white cultures, the politics of American empire, and Abdurraqib’s own personal history of love, grief, and performance.
Touching on Michael Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Billy Dee Williams, the Wu-Tan Clan, Dave Chappelle, and more, Abdurraqib writes prose brimming with jubilation and pain. With care and generosity, he explains the poignancy of performances big and small, each one feeling intensely familiar and vital, both timeless and desperately urgent. Filled with sharp insight, humor, and heart, A Little Devil in America exalts the Black performance that unfolds in specific moments in time and space—from midcentury Paris to the moon, and back down again to a cramped living room in Columbus, Ohio.