Nancy Everhart, president of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), visited
Twin Lakes Academy Elementary recently, as part of the nationwide Vision Tour of school libraries.
The Vision Tour is Everhart's idea to showcase exemplary school libraries across the nation. The Twin Lakes Academy Elementary School Library Program was chosen as an "outstanding" Florida school library by FAME (Florida Association for Media in Education).
The event began with an energetic performance by kindergarten and first-grade students to “Gotta Keep Reading.” The performance was followed by a brief presentation from some of the bilingual students, ranging from kindergarten to fifth-grade, expressing how much they love to read and spend time in the library. The rest of the morning focused on the importance of school libraries and librarians to the overall success of a school.
Guest speakers at the event included Barbara Langley, president and CEO of the Schultz Center for Teaching and Learning; Lucretia Miller, president of M.E.D.I.A; Carolyn Williams, deputy director for public services for the Jacksonville Public Library; Jamie Williams, with Barnes & Noble community outreach program; Katrina Figgett, with the Florida Department of Education media services; Bob Cerra, FAME lobbyist; and lastly, Dr. Nancy Everhart.
All of these individuals are passionate about promoting the necessity of offering students a place to escape where they can enhance their reading and language skills. They will strive to continue implementing high standards for library programs and work with other organizations to provide essential tools for learning.
Pat Dedicos, Twin Lakes Academy Elementary librarian, was honored for her commitment and dedication to creating such an inviting place for students to come to learn and explore. The library is covered from wall-to-wall with educational materials and motivational quotes to encourage the students to be “leaders for life.” Each year, Ms. Dedicos incorporates the school’s theme into the decorations and the students truly enjoy utilizing the space and furthering their education.
Congratulations to Twin Lakes Academy Elementary for receiving this recognition!
For more pictures from the presentation at Twin Lakes Academy Elementary, visit the
DCPS’ flickr photostream.
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