Megan Carroll, media specialist at William Perry Elementary School in Waynesboro, has been awarded a Valley Alliance for Education Creative Classroom Grant to purchase books that reflect the diversity of her students and their families.
”It is important that students have access to reading materials that help build their sense of self-worth and empathy,” Carroll said. “We do this by providing books that act as mirrors and windows for the reader, meaning books where they can see a reflection of themselves to know they are not alone in the world and books where they can learn about the people that are different from them to build an understanding of others.”
The Valley Alliance for Education Creative Grant program was established to promote educational excellence and creative instruction in the local community by funding student centered projects.
“Only recently has the children’s book market begun to truly reflect our increasingly diverse student population by publishing books by authors with diverse backgrounds for students of diverse backgrounds and needs. I feel it is important to add as many of these diverse books to our library as possible. There are years and years of inequity to balance. This grant will enable me to make great strides in building a collection that reflects our student body,” Carroll said.
A few of the books Carroll will add to her library include:
- Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed
- A Blind Guide to Stinkville by Beth Vrabel
- I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James
- Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
- The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
Other Waynesboro Public School educators that were awarded VAE grants for the 2020-21 school year include:
- Erin Hagedorn, Kate Collins Middle School: “Making Movie Magic with ClayMation?” and “Designing My Future”
- Beth Teachey, Valley Academy: “Growing Together: A Horticulture and Community Project”
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