Love Celebrating @S_StoryFest By Getting Great Books in the Hands of Youth.

I spent my Friday between finishing grants, organizing new ones, and picking up boxes of books to distribute to classrooms that are too often forgotten in the conversations about literacy, academic achievement, youth empowerment, and the power of words.

Yesterday, I finished my work day by driving from school to school handing out books written by writers who will be presenting at the Saugatuck Story Fest in southern Connecticut and that, I know, would truly appreciate the wisdom and brilliance of YA authors.

Yesterday, Jason Reynold's Ghost was delivered and the smile on their faces brought smiles to my own. I was especially glad to drop books off at schools that feed into Ubuntu Academy, where immigrant and refugee youth crave stories that are relevant to them. These books, coupled with stellar teachers, makes for incredible instruction and relevant pedagogy that changes the lives of kids.

I'm heading into this long weekend with a book bag full of papers to grade, presentations to complete, and radio shows to organize, but I'm fueled by the happiness of kids who, yesterday, were so thankful to have new books to read, discuss and write about. They love the inspiration and, like them, I am extremely grateful to writers like Jason Reynolds who are crafting the stories that young people enjoy reading.

If only such curriculum was an every day practice in our schools where educators were given the freedom to encourage their reading, writing, and intellectual lives. They crave such work, but unfortunately our systems fail them. One day at a time. I love / to believe / in hope.