The Kids are (More Than) All Right

A guest blog by Peggy O’Connor, Unbound board member and liaison for the Authors in Schools program.

Nothing is better for encouraging literacy and the love of books than bringing authors directly into classrooms. Between the 2018 and 2019 festivals, we hosted 15 authors at 29 events in 20 schools for K-12 CPS students, plus we filled up the Missouri Theater with middle schoolers to see the amazing YA author Jacqueline Woodson—all squeezed into A SINGLE FRIDAY in April each of those two years. (I have the wrinkles to prove it.) It has been pretty amazing, and we had a great program designed for April 2020, including a multi-school event in Harrisburg, before it went out the window with all our other in-person plans. (Cue the Debbie Downer music.) 

BUT, with all the challenges kids and teachers (and parents) have faced this last school year, we knew it was not the time to step away from the Authors in Schools programming. Those of you who have been captivated by the fabulous lineup of adult authors online in the evenings may not have realized that since early February, students all around mid-Missouri have had access to exclusive author events, too. 

As of this writing, nine authors have spoken through classroom Zoom events for students from kindergarten through 12th grade, with three more events to go. Teachers throughout Boone County have been given the opportunity to register for these programs, and to submit student questions in advance. With the help of Sarah Howard from Daniel Boone Regional Library, Kerry Townsend—our amazing partner at the CPS district office—has helped select and book authors, has coordinated with her team of Media Specialists, moderates the events, and asks questions posed by students before and throughout the broadcast. I know that even as a senior citizen, I get excited when I hear a famous author say my name as he or she answers my question; I have heard of classes erupting as they hear their school and classmate mentioned by an author they love. I scream, you scream, we all scream about books! That’s music to our ears.

 Oh, and we’re reaching a whole lot of ears. While our online events are not as “wildly interactive” as in-person events, we are making up for it with the crazy numbers of students who have been able to tune in. Choosing which six elementary schools, or which middle or high school grade gets an author each year can be painful. During those two days of programming I mentioned earlier in 2018 and 2019? Authors interacted with about 3,200 students each year, and we know more than a few had their lives changed by the experience. This year we have had two individual events with between 3,000 and 4,000 attendees each, and we’ve had a few others with between 750 and 1500! We estimate that by the end of this month, authors will have connected to our kids through well over 10,000 student views, with five or six authors available for each grade level.

We can definitely live with that.

We are eternally grateful for the generous support of The Assistance League of Mid-Missouri and the Boone Electric Community Trust for their support with the Authors in the Schools Program.

Christine Taylor Butler talks to middle school students about “Writing Delicious Villains”

Christina Taylor Butler talks to middle school students about “Writing Delicious Villains”