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Nordale Sends Us a Picture

Spirit Readers Blog — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:45:06 GMT

From left to right

Back row:

Val Adams

Shawn Frank

Tim Christensen

Daniel Parsons

Eli Evans

Clifford Gowan

Allan Hayden

Front row:

Christian Frerichs

Deion Frank

Anthony Mayo-Cobos

Brenon Littlefield

Here is a picture of Nordale just after the audioconference on March 9th.

At Mount Edgecumbe High School

Spirit Readers Blog — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:52:47 GMT

Mount Edgecumbe High School welcomed Mr. Hope to their campus for a presentation to about one hundred students, mostly freshman English students, but also including students in other grades. During his presentation, Mr. Hope told a traditional story about a boy who chose to leave his people to live with the salmon people. During his experiences with the salmon people the boy learns about himself and his own people. Mount Edgecumbe students "listened intently" to Mr. Hope and had time to ask questions and engage in dialogue during his time with them.

A staff member had this to say about Mr. Hope's presentation:

"Everybody really enjoyed Ishmael Hope. Teachers said he gave a great message about respect and appreciating ones native values. He reminded students that their native language is the spirit of their elders speaking. It is important to remember and share their native stories. He was very appreciated and his message resonated with us all."

Projects Class: Lessons of Strong Man

Spirit Readers Blog — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:38:40 GMT

In the Strong Man comic and in Mr. Hope's presentation many lessons were told. What is ONE of those lessons? Use your own words to explain the lesson and explain the part of the story that shows the lesson.

Tlingit Class: Lessons Learned

Spirit Readers Blog — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:50:30 GMT

Hello Ms. Littlefield's Tlingit class,

Welcome to the library for a chance to blog about Strong Man and Ishmael Hope's visit to our school. Click on add comment and tell about the lessons you learned from the Strong Man story, the Strong Man comic, or Mr. Hope's visit.

Tlingit Class: Tell the Legend

Spirit Readers Blog — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:48:41 GMT

Hi Ms. Littlefield's Class,

Welcome to the library for a chance to blog about the story of Strong Man. Click on add comment and tell us the story of Strong Man.

Hello to Koliganek

Spirit Readers Blog — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Thanks to Pam Johnson of Koliganek School for having students in grades 3-12 participate in a video conference with the author. Talking with Koliganek students was especially meaningful to Mr. Hope. "I have a soft spot in my heart for these kids (in rural Alaska)." He expressed the idea that the students may live in remote places, but they also are living in the center of the universe, in places where they are connected to their ancestors and where their language is still being spoken. The author believes that these students are the hope for the future - they are the ones who can lead the world in keeping cultures strong.

Mr. Hope told the students the story of how Raven brings light into the world. He also encouraged the students to share their language with him. The students counted and sang for Mr. Hope as the audio conference was ending.

The Spirit of Reading program would love for Koliganek students to send a picture of themselves for posting in this blog. We are excited to hear of the plans for building a new school!

Keet Gooshi Heen Hears Stories

Spirit Readers Blog — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:50:00 GMT

Two fifth grade classrooms had the chance to hear stories from a "very talented storyteller," commented Keet Gooshi Heen librarian Beau Hedrick. "Mr. Hope did a great job of preparing the students to hear the stories. He invited them to go on an adventure with him and they responded to his invitation." One of the favorite stories was that of the "Cannibal Giant" - a story that tells about the creation of mosquitoes while cautioning against pursuing revenge. Mr. Hedrick commented that several students approached him after the event to tell them how much they liked the storytelling.

Thanks to Mrs. Rogers and Mr. Orbison for having their students participate in the program. Students in Mrs. Rogers's class had the chance to read the Strong Man comic before meeting Mr. Hope. There weren't quite enough copies of the book to go around for Mr. Orbison's class!

Fantastic Audioconference!

Spirit Readers Blog — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:30:00 GMT

This is a message to Denali Elementary and Nordale Elementary students - you made the audio conference with Ishmael Hope a highlight of the Alaska Spirit of Reading program and we are thankful for your participation!

The audio conference started with introductions. It was exciting to learn that Brenon Littlefield from Nordale and Mr. Hope share some Sitka relatives!

We love to find a book that connects with reluctant readers and Strong Man is just that kind of reading. "We have been devouring the Strong Man comics," shared Nordale's Valorie Adams. Students at Nordale are eagerly awaiting autographed copies of the comic. Thanks to Daniel Parsons for the request. They will be shipped soon, but have to make their way to Mr. Hope before you will receive them.

Students at Denali Elementary read and talked about Strong Man. They also have been reading stories from the graphic novel Trickster. "Everyone read the story. We even read it to the principal. We talked about the structure of the comic book - how the two Strong Man stories were connected."

Mr. Hope fielded questions from students at the two schools. When a Denali students asked him how he became an author, Mr. Hope answered the question, but also discussed where stories can come from. "We have to start looking at our villages as the center of the universe. If a good story is being told, it feels that we are the center of the universe."

Surveying Literature at SHS

Spirit Readers Blog — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:00:00 GMT

Mr. Hope met with students in two Surveying Literature classes during his visit to Sitka High School. The students, mainly 10th-12th graders, read and discussed the Strong Man comic book in preparation for his visit.

"Mr. Hope had a real sense of the two classes. They were a relatively quite audience, but he seemed to tap into what was important for them to hear," commented teacher Stephanie Ask. During his visit, Mr. Hope spoke about the importance of traditional stories and how they help students connect with their culture and ancestors.

Ms. Ask was especially appreciative of Mr. Hope's message about reading. "He recalled being in high school and realizing that, four or five pages in, that he had not understood what he had read. Mr. Hope told the students that it is okay not to fully understand what you are reading. The good thing that is they are being challenged. If a person seeks out those kinds of challenges, he will learn from them."

In his discussion of the Strong Man comic book, Mr. Hope spoke about the sources he went to for the story. After his visit, the Surveying Literature classes went back to one of these sources, the Frank Johnson version of the story told in the Haa Shuka book by Richard and Nora Dauenhauer. "This lead to a discussion of why stories have different versions," said Ask.

"My students had very positive comments on Mr. Hope's visit. I saw students who don't engage in class stay begin to talk to Mr. Hope after his presentation."

Comic Books at Blatchley

Spirit Readers Blog — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:40:00 GMT

Ms. Farvour's sixth grade students and Ms. Littlefield's Tlingit students prepared for the author's visit by reading and discussing the Strong Man comic. Ms. Littlefield made Ms. Farvour's day when Ms. Littlefield used old-school technology in the form of Language Masters to record the Tlingit words in the story. Ms. Farvour had this to say of Mr. Hope's visit.

"Through serendipity, students were writing and punctuating dialogue using a comic generator, pixton.com, in the weeks leading up to the author's visit. I was greatly pleased to discover that this year's Spirit of Reading author had collaborated on a graphic novel. I learned that when you create a graphic novel, you should leave a white space at the beginning of the work for autographs."

Thanks to Mr. Hope for his willingness to sign his work for students.

Kettleson Memorial Library Hosts Mr. Hope

Spirit Readers Blog — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:30:00 GMT

Library director Sarah Bell and Youth Librarian Maite Lorente were excited to host Mr. Hope at Kettleson Memorial Library. Ms. Bell had this to say of the program.

"I noticed that Mr. Hope began by emphasizing his local connection to Sitka. Mr. Hope's grandmother was able to attend his talk, which was nicely attended by the community. Mr. Hope asked his former Sitka Native Education (SNEP) teacher, Nancy Douglas, to tell a history Mr. Hope learned when he was in the SNEP program. In the story, a young man is blown off course and ends up in a land far away where bamboo is grown. The man uses his knowledge of the sky to return to Sitka. He knows he is home when he sees the "seagull shape" of Mount Edgecumbe."

Pacific High Connects with Mr. Hope

Spirit Readers Blog — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:00:00 GMT

The Spirit of Reading program had a chance to catch up with Pacific High teacher Mandy Summer after Mr. Hope's visit there recently. "Mr. Hope achieves a real level of acceptance with his audience. He knows that kids will come when they are ready to come. He has an ability to look at the big picture."

Mr. Hope spoke about importance things in his visit with Pacific High students. The discussion ranged from ideas of truth, strenghth and love to the wisdom of following your heart. Mr. Hope emphasized the importance of connections to community and ancestors and how that connection can be weakened when language and cultural knowledge are lost. "Mr. Hope is seeking out those connections. He spoke to the students about how to get those connections back," commented Summer.

After meeting with the entire school, Mr. Hope had the opportunity to work with a smaller group of fifteen students on a writing activity. "He had the students think about their ancestors and imagine what their ancestors would say."

Thank you to the students of Pacific High for responding so positively to Mr. Hope!

SNEP Preschool and Kindergarten

Spirit Readers Blog — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:30:00 GMT

Mr. Hope visited thirteen pre-schoolers and seventeen kindergartners in the Sitka Native Education Program on Tuesday and Thursday. On the first day, Mr. Hope joined the children in their regular routine, singing warm-up songs and lullabies in the Tlingit language. He shared a traditional Tlingit story with the pre-schoolers and an Inupiaq story with the kindergartners. On Thursday, he shared more Tlingit stories. Elders Herman Davis, Vida Davis, and Anne Johnson were there for his visit. Parents were also able to attend. SNEP employee Tristan Guevin commented that "one thing that was really great was Ishmael and Herman sitting in a circle with the kids. Mr. Hope stressed the importance of culture bearers and told children they need to spend time with them, listen to them, and go to them with their problems."

Tliyaa Keet

Spirit Readers Blog — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:05:35 GMT

You have read the Strong Man comic. Sorry you have to miss Ishmael Hope's visit to Blatchley.

What did you learn from reading the comic?
What message did you take away from the story?
Please critique the comic book - what did you like, what would you have changed?

At the Airport

Spirit Readers Blog — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:28:54 GMT

Nicole Roohi (photograher) had this to say on a recent Facebook post.

"The nice thing about going to a small town library conference with authors at them, is that there is a good chance you're going to run into them at the airport when you leave. Saturday night's dinner speaker, Ishmael Hope, author of Strong Man, pulled up a chair and joined us for coffee."

Pictured are Staci Cox, Deb Mulcahy, Ishmael Hope, and Heather Fleming.

Visit to Fairbanks Youth Facility

Spirit Readers Blog — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:00:28 GMT

Ishmael visited the Fairbanks Youth Facility to present to two classes of students there. In his first presentation, Ishmael visited with 10 students and four adults. He passed on the Tlingit story of Strong Man in a combination of performance and reading.

Ishmael then visited with another group of FYS students, reading to them the Strong Man comic book. "It went excellently," commented an FYS employee. "Students brought their copies of the comic books for signing. They were friendly and engaged with the author."

The Spirit of Reading program is committed to providing books and author visits to students in youth facilities across the state.

Ishmael Hope Presents at AkLA Conference

Spirit Readers Blog — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:12:02 GMT

This year's Spirit of Reading program presents author Ishmael Hope.

Mr. Hope presented at the 2012 Alaska Library Association Conference Saturday night to a packed banquet hall filled with the state's librarians. Ishmael's reading concerned poetry and the Tlingit oratorical tradition.

Read a copy of the presentation at Ishmael's web page.

Earlier in the day, Ishmael worked with students at the Fairbanks Youth Facility. We are looking forward to his visits around the state.

Thanks to Robin Turk, librarian at Colony Middle School, for her photo.

Message from Will Hobbs

Spirit Readers Blog — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:08:00 GMT

To my Spirit of Reading Friends:

Hello up there, this is Will Hobbs, back home in southwestern Colorado after a fantastic week in southeast Alaska to kick off your 2010-2011 Alaska Spirit of Reading program. I had a fantastic week with my readers in Ketchikan, Sitka, and Juneau, at their schools and their public libraries. I'm honored that kids around the state are reading three of my "North" titles this year through this great program. Leaving Protection and Wild Man Island take place in Alaska, and Far North takes place in the Northwest Territories of Canada. I invite you to visit my website www.willhobbsauthor.com where you'll find an interview plus photos for those three and all my other novels. Have a great winter and GO BIG WITH READING!

--Will Hobbs

From Mr. Allison

Spirit Readers Blog — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:10:00 GMT

What was the coolest thing about Will Hobb's visit to Blatchley Middle School? Write a five-sentence paragraph. The first sentence should be about the "coolest thing." The next three sentences should explain and the fifth sentence restate your main idea.

Sitka High Reads Far North

Spirit Readers Blog — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:55:00 GMT

Hello to the Sitka Wolves! Author Will Hobbes will be in Sitka soon and visiting Sitka High on Wednesday, September 22. We welcome blog comments from SHS students here!