Kaitlyn Benavides

Students in the Humanities Academy and Book Club at Siegel High School recently welcomed author and filmmaker Mason Engel for a special presentation and discussion on the power of reading and storytelling. Engel is the creator of Books Across America, a nationwide literary journey in which he traveled to all 50 states in 50 days, reading 50 books and interviewing 50 authors along the way. The project, now a documentary film, explores the importance of reading, the craft of writing, and the value of sharing our personal stories. During his visit, Engel shared insights from his travels and offered students a preview clip of the film, including highlights from his Tennessee interview with bestselling author Ann Patchett. Students gained a behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking process and had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation about literature, creativity, and the impact of stories in shaping lives. The event provided an inspiring experience for Siegel students, reinforcing the Humanities Academy’s and Book Club's commitment to fostering a love of reading, writing, and lifelong learning.

The highlight of my #ReadAcrossAmerica week has been joining Siegel High School’s Humanities students in conversation with Mason Engel, director and writer of @booksxamerica as he shared his journey across 50 states, interviewing 50 authors in 50 days! 🇺🇸

Ran into Betsy Ross ⁦@SimonSprings⁩. Thanks for reading to our students today. ⁦@rucoschools⁩

Thank you Andrew Maraniss for giving our students here at @rucoschools a pep talk leading into our March Madness reading challenge. Andrew's middle grade sports books are the perfect choices to log some minutes in Beanstack this month. 🏀

Ruta Sepetys is rooting for you, @rucoschools middle school students. Good luck on week one of March Madness! 📚🏀 I can't wait to see the scoreboard on Friday.

Kittrell is ready to turn the page and celebrate #ReadAcrossAmerica!#BD4L

@TASLTN is in full swing with the MentorTN membership drive. For those already on board, join us for a virtual meet up - the time and place to discuss your concerns, share your ideas, and “hang out” with your colleagues!

@kati_rafacz Please share this at PLC, Kati! I am so glad your students had this unique opportunity!

Author and Illustrator, Susan Eaddy is leading an illustrative clay workshop with Barfield today!

So cool!!

Book love was definitely in the air this February, as students came by to "check out" new books and beloved classics alike. 💕We are looking forward to seeing what next month holds for our Library Services Department. 🏀

We are proud of you, Marco! Thank you @TASLTN for facilitating another great state-wide bookmark contest!

March is coming, which means It’s time for March Reading Madness! Ten participating middle schools will compete in our 2nd annual reading competition next month. @scmslibrary took home the trophy last year. Do they have what it takes to defend their title? 🏀🗑️

I love seeing libraries buzzing with purpose. Students at @Blackman_Flames are making the most of Mrs. Shepherd’s thoughtful passive programming — from chess and checkers to checkout. This is what a thriving middle school library looks like!

I took advantage of the 'self-checkout' at Blackman Middle School's library. All the positive affirmations Mrs. Shepherd included brightened my day!

I saw several students checking out those 'blind date' books last week!

Thank you @TangerOutlets for prioritizing our students! Way to go @SHSLibrary37167

I love seeing those beloved fur babies in Valentines Day library programming! 🐱🐶

Thank you to the LMS that jumped in and had a little fun with Shelfie Day 🫶🏽

This was so fun!

Snow, ice, and freezing temps did not stop RCS students from warming up with a great book. Take a look at our grade band reader leaderboard this month! @stewartscreekhs @SmyrnaElem_TN @RMSRavens