Talking words: High school discussion group opens gateway for young readers

It's lunchtime at Jackson High School, and it's book time upstairs in the library. The Gateway to Great Books discussion group is grabbing sodas and slices of pizza and getting settled in to discuss the two books that were last month's reading selection.

This is exactly how English teacher turned librarian Danna Bruns envisioned it. From the first meeting at the beginning of the semester, when the group discussed the book "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer, Bruns has worked hard to create a book discussion group for avid readers.

The discussions are open to everyone in the high school, not just frequent readers. There are two sessions -- one for each lunch period. Bruns wants the environment to be friendly and lively and a discussion about the books overall, not an environment where the students analyze the books for a grade. An average of 15 students come to each session. The Jackson Junior High librarian, Mary Pensel, takes four students from the junior high to the high school for the discussions.

The books are taken off the Gateway Readers Awards nominated list of books. Students must read at least three of the books in order to vote next semester for the winner of the Gateway Readers Awards. The Missouri Association of School Librarians compiles the nominated book list. There aren't enough copies of the discussed books for everyone to read at once, so the interested students have to take turns checking out the library copies.

There were two books discussed last Friday: "If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?" by Melissa Kantor and "Invisible" by Pete Hautman. Both books were labeled by students as "fast reads."

"I really wanted to read" the books, said sophomore Holly Bollinger. She has been attending the talks since the first one. So has junior Brenna Frederick and senior Columbia Sternickle. Sternickle has read all the books on the Gateway Awards Nomination list.

Some of the participants are or have been in the past "reader selectors." These students read books and give their recommendations to the librarian, so when someone comes in and says "I don't know what I want to read, but I'm looking for a good book" the librarian has a student-approved book to give them. These avid readers fit right in with the discussions, although they have usually read that month's picks before they were announced.

Junior Richa Sutaria, who is involved in the library, said "Most books [Bruns] picked out I've already read."

But Sutaria said she doesn't mind reading them again.

Bruns said the library is already seeing the effect of the book discussions on the school -- more and more students are checking out books from the library. For more information about the Gateway Awards, go to www.maslonline.org/awards/books/Gateway/.

Emily Hendricks is a freelancer for the Southeast Missourian.

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Who's neXt

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Morgan Conrad

Ben and Martha Bidewell

• Chelsey Marie Menz was selected as a good citizen by the King's Highway chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Menz, daughter of Charles and Donna Menz, is a senior at Scott City High School. The Good Citizen award is given to students who demonstrate dependability, service and patriotism.
• Kelso Elementary Junior Beta Club members competed against 20 schools at a convention Nov. 30 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The club placed second in original song, scrapbook and living literature, and third place in T-shirt design and banner.
• Morgan Conrad has been selected to the Southeast Missouri Music Educator's Association all-district junior high band. Conrad, a flute player, attends Immaculate Conception School.
• Candice Summers, Tanesha Reeves, Brooke Privett, Sean Brown, Jacob Alexander, Jarred Harris, Meghan Brown and Megan Thompson either won their division or were recognized at the Missouri Music Educator's Association Conference and Auditions Nov. 6 through 9 in Springfield, Mo.
• Ben and Martha Bidewell of Poplar Bluff have received the Award of Distinction from Three Rivers Community College and the Missouri Community College Association for their donations to Three Rivers.

SCHOOL NEWS

• District 15 Future Business Leaders of America will hold its annual conference Feb. 22 at Southeast Missouri State University.
• Students can earn $10,000 for a top essay answering the question "Can character and communities survive in an age of globalization?" The international contest is sponsored by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Send submissions to Culture of Enterprise-Essay, ISI, 3901 Centerville Road P.O. Box 4431 Wilmington, Del. 19807-0431.
• The Arts Council will hold a Children's Arts Festival Sunday. The Kelly Elementary School Honor Choir, Academy of Dance Arts, Trinity Lutheran School Choir and the Suzuki Strings of Southeast Missouri will perform at 3 p.m. in Academic Hall at Southeast Missouri State University. Following the performance, 236 young artists will have their work on display during an artists' reception at the Arts Council, 32 N. Main St.
• Kelly Elementary School's Parents as Teachers will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the library. Children can make ornaments and visit with Santa Claus.

-- From staff reports

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Friday night lives

Young concert-goers at the Enchanted Forest socialize as they wait for the first band, The Parting Scene, to play on Saturday, December 1, 2007.

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Next up

FRIDAY

• New movie:

"The Golden Compass": Rated PG-13, 1 hr 53 mins., at Cape West Cine

• Open mic night: Broadway Books and Roasting Co., 7:30 p.m.
• Handel's "Messiah": presented by Southeast Missouri State University Choral Union, University Choir and Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra, Bedell Performance Hall, River Campus, 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

• Holiday Christmas tours: Glenn House, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Christmas contra dance: sponsored by Cape Friends of Traditional Music and Dance, Christ Episcopal Church, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
• Handel's "Messiah": presented by Southeast Missouri State University Choral Union, University Choir and Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra, Bedell Performance Hall, River Campus, 7:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

• Holiday Christmas tours: Glenn House, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Phi Mu Alpha performing American Music Recital: Shuck Music Recital Hall, River Campus, 3 p.m.

NEXT WEEK

• Games:

"Unreal Tournament 3": Tuesday, PS3

"NCAA March Madness 08": Tuesday, XBox 360, PS3, PS2

"Winter Sports: The Ultimate Challenge": Tuesday, Wii

• DVDs

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix": PG-13, Tuesday

"The Bourne Ultimatum": PG-13, Tuesday

• Music

Pink Floyd, "Oh By The Way" (Box Set), Tuesday

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