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| Students examine historical newspapers |
I've been experimenting with using our weekly 35-minute RTI (Response To Intervention) enrichment time to bring engaging, real-world programming into the library. This flexible time allows us to schedule programs for students who don't require mandated remediation, offering valuable enrichment instead.
The need for local connection became profoundly clear when I discovered how few students connect with the Malvern Daily Record, a paper with a deep history in our county. It was surprising how many students don't look at the paper—one even told me they had never physically held or read one!
To bridge this gap, I decided to invite Mrs. Heather Bennett Ritter, Staff Writer for the Malvern Daily Record, to present during one of our library sessions. We had an excellent turnout for the event.
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| Mrs. Ritter and I take a moment for a photo! |
Building Connections and Learning History
Mrs. Ritter took time to talk about the history of the newspaper and brought along incredible historical papers, ranging from the early 1900s through the present. Students genuinely enjoyed poring over the old articles and marveling at the vintage photos. A highlight was comparing the current costs of groceries and products to the prices advertised in the old editions. It was a moment of genuine, historical discovery.
Mrs. Ritter then moved into practical journalism, discussing how to write an effective cut line (photo caption). She demonstrated proper photo taking and allowed one of our students, Darcy, to try his hand at snapping some photos. The group then collaborated on writing a cut line for the picture Darcy took.
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| Darcy takes photos of the session |
The session was incredibly encouraging; many students stayed after the bell to continue talking with Mrs. Ritter. To top off the experience, she told the group she would consider publishing one of Darcy's photos in the next edition!
The Moment the Library Made Front-Page News
The very next day, I had an incredible discovery: Darcy's photo and his cut line had been published on the front page of the Malvern Daily Record!
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| Front page photo published! |
I immediately shared the exciting news with Darcy and our administrators. To celebrate this 'local connection' in style, I took action:
I grabbed extra copies of the paper and presented a framed front page to Darcy the next day.
I captured a photo of him holding the paper to share on our school social media channels.
I called his mother right away to share the wonderful news, connecting with a parent in a profoundly positive way.
When I asked Darcy how this experience impacted him, he shared this thoughtful response:
"...it was very cool. My family was very proud of me and happy from what I accomplished and what I did."
Endless Possibilities
This was a phenomenal win for the Malvern Daily Record, Mrs. Ritter, our student, and the future of our library programming. I am grateful to Mrs. Ritter for taking time out of her busy schedule to come share with our students. We proved that a 35-minute session can spark real-world confidence!
Moving forward, I am energized to continue building these local connections. The possibilities are truly endless, and the benefits are clear: increased local awareness, education on available community resources, and the priceless chance to inspire a student. Who knows? Darcy may have found his path to being a photographer—and it all started with a visit to the library.
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