NYT Summer Reading Essay Contest for teens 13-19

Fourth Annual New york Times Summer Reading Essay Contest  starts on June 14th and ends on August 16, 2013.
During that time, teenagers, 13-19 can choose any piece in The New York Times they like and write to tell why it interested them. Weekly winning submissions will be chosen. The contest is open to teenagers only — anyone from 13 to 19 years old, from anywhere in the world.

How it Works
The New York Times will  post the same Student Opinion question for every Friday, starting June 14.
Each will ask, “What Interested You Most in The Times This Week?”
That is where students  should post their  picks (and reasons) any time until the next Friday.
Then that post will be closed and  a new one opened with the same question.

Submissions (Comments on a particular article) should be 350 words or less and abide by the rules found here http://www.nytimes.com/content/help/site/usercontent/usercontent.html.

• Comments can be on anything in the print New York Times or on NYTimes.com including  videos, graphics, slide shows and podcasts.
•  Give your first name only, in accordance with the  privacy rules. No last names, but please also post your age and hometown.

Notes for Teachers
 Teachers: If you want all the students in a particular class to write in, just give them a code of some kind to affix to their first names

Teachers can  also consider telling students that it will be their responsibility when they return to school in the fall to provide a list of links to each of their comments.
Each comment has its own unique URL, which can be found by clicking “link” in the upper left-hand side of any individual comment

Rules and more information
See http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/the-fourth-annual-new-york-times-summer-reading-contest/#judges

Montclair Film Festival highlights film on Autism in Newark

"Best Kept Secret" is a feature-length documentary about the struggles of JFK teacher Janet Mino, a veteran educator who specializes in helping severely autistic kids. The film follows Mino as she prepares six young men at JFK for the harsh realities of life once they "fall of the cliff" — Mino's words for what happens when they age out of the public school system at 21.
See an srticle about the film at http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/05/best_kept_secret_documentary_s.html#incart_m-rpt-1

It premieres:
'Best Kept Secret' at the Montclair Film Festival

Where: Montclair Kimberly Academy, 6 Lloyd Road, Montclair
When: Saturday at 1:45 p.m.
How much: $12.50. Visit montclairfilmfest.org  for more information.

For  a select list of books on autism at the Guarini Library see http://www.njcu.edu/Guarini/department/EdServiceBib/SPECIALEDUCATION-juv.pdf

Free Comic Book Day- 5/4/13

Free Comic Book Day is a single day - the first Saturday in May each year - when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely FREE* to anyone who comes into their stores. *Check with your local comic book shop for their participation and rules.

Need a local comic shop to visit on May 4th? Use the  "shop locator".

http://www.freecomicbookday.com/StoreLocator

More information
http://www.freecomicbookday.com

Comics are educational too!
http://www.njcu.edu/Guarini/department/EdServiceBib/graphicnovels.pdf

Central Park Five- Issues and Lesson Plans

Curricular connections for the Central Park Five

The recently released Central Park Five documentary concerning the 1989 Central Park jogger case and trial in which five teenagers were interrogated, arrested, tried, convicted and many years later found innocent, raises many questions about social justice, race, and the criminal justice system.
 It could be a great starting point for interdisciplinary class room lessons and discussions

VIDEO
The Central Park Five
on PBS. See more from Central Park Five. The video of the documentary currently shown on PBS is available  at http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/centralparkfive/

DISCUSSION
The discussion about the film with all members of the Central Park Five  is available here https://livestream.com/accounts/15501555/centralpark5/videos/150835805

CONNECTIONS
Some curricular connections can be found in these links:

Primary Documents:
YCTeen story "The Central Park Five:Teens served time for a crime they didn’t commit" by Jovon Ferguson
(Note : This story also contains instructions for teens and their rights and what to do if stopped by the police, as well as a link to  their original coverage of the case  and a poem by Ray Santana one of the accused. http://www.ycteenmag.org/issues/NYC235/Voices_From_the_Archive.html?story_id=NYC-2013-01-13b)
 
Time       

I’m wasting time for a serious crime

A crime I didn’t do

A crime that traps black people like me and you

Teens having dreams but not going to the extreme

Peer pressure from friends that will lead you to a dead end

I’m not a follower. I was just with the wrong crowd

The type of crowd that could have left me on the ground

The white man tries to put us down

But we as blacks, could turn that around

I just want to go home and get my head out of this dome

I wish I could disappear and get out of this jail atmosphere

This is not a rhyme—it’s just time.

—Ray, Spofford Voices, September 1991

Lesson Plans

Media/News Literacy Lesson: The Central Park Five
Reading Comprehension, Discussion, and Written Response (some based on archival articles)
http://www.ycteenmag.org/issues/NYC235/Voices_From_the_Archive.html?story_id=NYC-2013-01-13b&lesson=1

Presumed Guilty: Protecting the Accused  (Grades 6-12)
http://www.pbs.org/pov/presumedguilty/lesson_plan.php
(In this lesson, students will analyze a criminal case in Mexico involving an innocent man convicted of homicide. Students will identify and explain the protections for the accused that are outlined in the United States Constitution and infer how such protections might have affected the case in Mexico.)

What Happens Inside Prison?- Lesson Plan ( High School)
http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/what-happens-inside-prison
(Three student readings offer a case study of what happened to one mentally ill prisoner; a summary of a critical report on America's prisons; and some additional facts and figures. Discussion questions, a writing assignment, subjects for further inquiry and suggestions for citizenship activities follow.)

To Kill A Mockingbird and the Scottsboro Boys Trial: Profiles in Courage ( Grades 9-12)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/kill-mockingbird-and-scottsboro-boys-trial-profiles-courage
(Two part lesson: Lesson One asks students to read To Kill A Mockingbird carefully with an eye for all instances and manifestations of courage, but particularly those of moral courage. Lesson Two also requires students to study select court transcripts and other primary source material from the second Scottsboro Boys Trial of 1933, a continuation of the first trial in which two young white women wrongfully accused nine African-American youths of rape.)

Using Editorial Cartoons to Teach Social Justice ( Grades 6-8; Grades 9-12)
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/using-editorial-cartoons-teach-social-justice ( Using Editorial Cartoons to Teach Social Justice is a series of 14 lessons. Each lesson focuses on a contemporary social justice issue. These lessons are multidisciplinary and geared toward middle and high school students.Students enjoy editorial cartoons. Visual, engaging and often funny, they’re great learning tools. However, editorial cartoons can be challenging because they often require a lot of prior knowledge. These lessons provide strategies for using what students already know to analyze cartoons that may seem difficult to interpret.In addition, these lessons will expand students’ knowledge of social justice issues. They can be used to supplement another lesson or readings, or they can stand alone.)

A Study Guide for Place in the World Prepared by Roberta McNair for CFI Education
Film Discussion Guide of Ken Burns Documentary (Grades 10-12)
http://cfieducation.cafilm.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Central_Park_Five_Study_Guide1.pdf
A PLACE IN THE WORLD is for grades 10-12. Participating schools are chosen from different Bay Area locations and with as much diversity in the student body as possible. Study guides and clips for all films are provided and sent out two weeks prior to an event for class preparations. CFI staff also visits the schools prior to the program’s start to familiarize students with the program and to answer questions. On the event date: the film is shown; discussion conducted with director or principal speaker; small group break-out with adult discussion leaders for personal reflection.

Rag and Bone Shop Activity
A young adult novel , The Rag and Bone Shop by Robert Cormier is about the interrogation of a an introverted twelve-year-old accused in a high profile murder case.
This discussion guide can supplement issues found in the book and highlight similar issues in the Central Park Five case.
http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/resource/the-rag-and-bone-shop/

http://www.readinggroupguides.com/reviews/the-rag-and-bone-shop/guide

2012 ALA Banned Books List

2012 Most FrequentlyChallenged Books from the American Library Association

(Out of 464 challenges as reported by the Office for Intellectual Freedom)

1.Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey.
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group

2.The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.
Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group

3.Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher.
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group

4.Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James.
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit

5.And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
Reasons: Homosexuality, unsuited for age group

6.The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.
Reasons: Homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit

7.Looking for Alaska, by John Green.
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group

8.Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: Unsuited for age group, violence

9.The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit

10.Beloved, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence

For more information see http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged
For theLibrary Bill of Rights see http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
For support for dealing with challenges see http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/copingwithchallenges

Help Public Libraries and Literacy- Call Now!

Ask Your U.S. Senators to Sign Library Funding Letters

Appropriations season is heating up in Washington DC. It is imperative that you call your two U.S. Senators by Wednesday, April 24 and ask them to sign two separate "Dear Colleague" letters that will greatly help libraries. Talking points and instructions for the two letters are below.

Support Funding for LSTA in FY 2014

Ask your representative to support funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Here's why:

•LSTA is the primary source of funding for libraries in the federal budget

•LSTA helps many public libraries provide services to users that include, but are not limited to: job searches, résumé building help, digital literacy workshops, access to e-government services, etc.

Your senator can sign a letter indicating their support for LSTA in the FY14 budget, here's how:

Republicans: If your senator is a Republican, ask them to contact Sen. Susan Collins’ (R-ME) to sign on to the LSTA letter.

Democrats: If your senator is a Democrat, ask them contact Sen. Jack Reed’s (D-RI) office to sign the LSTA letter.

Support Funding for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy Competitive Grant

Ask your representative to support Childhood Literacy in FY 2014. Here is why:

•Congress included $28.6 million in the FY12 budget for this competitive grant administered through the U.S. Department of Education to support school libraries and national nonprofit literacy organization working toward childhood literacy

•A minimum of half of this money will go as a competitive grant to low-income school libraries to help update their books and materials.

Ask your representative to sign a letter supporting Childhood Literacy in FY 2014, here's how:

Republicans: If your senator is a Republican, ask them to contact Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) office to sign on to this letter

Democrats: If your senator is a Democrat, ask them to contact Sen. Jack Reed’s (D-RI) office to sign on to this letter

Please call today!
Go to http://capwiz.com/ala/callalert/index.tt?alertid=62592326&PROCESS=Call+Now
Enter your zip code into the "Call Now" box to find the number for your senator.

All calls have to be in by April 24.

Help Public and School libraries Now! Call your representative!

Support library funding: Call your U.S. Rep. today

Appropriations season is heating up in Washington DC. It is imperative that you call your U.S. Representative by Wednesday, April 10 and ask them to sign two separate "Dear Colleague" letters that will greatly help libraries. Talking points and instructions for the two letters are below.


Support Funding for LSTA in FY 2014

Ask your representative to support funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Here's why:

•LSTA is the primary source of funding for libraries in the federal budget

•LSTA helps many public libraries provide services to users that include, but are not limited to: job searches, résumé building help, digital literacy workshops, access to e-government services, etc.

Your representative can sign a letter indicating their support for LSTA in the FY13 budget, here's how:

Democrats and Republicans: Ask your representative to contact Rep. Raul Grijalva's (D-AZ) office to sign the LSTA letter.

Go to http://capwiz.com/ala/callalert/index.tt?alertid=62560381&PROCESS=Call+Now
 if you do not know who your representative is.

Support Funding for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy Competitive Grant

Ask your representative to support Childhood Literacy in FY 2014. Here is why:

•Congress included $28.6 million in the FY12 budget for this competitive grant administered through the U.S. Department of Education to support school libraries and national nonprofit literacy organization working toward childhood literacy

•A minimum of half of this money will go as a competitive grant to low-income school libraries to help update their books and materials.

Ask your representative to sign a letter supporting Childhood Literacy in FY 2014, here's how:

Republicans: If your representative is a Republican, ask them to contact Rep. Don Young's (R-AK) office to sign on to this letter

Democrats: If your representative is a Democrat, ask them to contact Rep. Jim McGovern's (D-MA) office to sign on to this letter

Go to http://capwiz.com/ala/callalert/index.tt?alertid=62560381&PROCESS=Call+Now \
if you do not know who your representative is.

Calls have to be made by April 10, 2013

Claudette Colvin, Civil Rights Heroine visits Newark 3/28/13

Claudette Colvin

HEROINE OF MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT,

in Newark NJ

Thursday, March 28, 2013

6:30 PM

Abyssinian Baptist Church

224 West Kinney Street

Newark, NJ

On Thursday, March 28th, the People’s Organization for Progress will host a special women’s history month discussion with special guest Claudette Colvin, an unsung heroine of the Montgomery Bus Boycott!
This special gathering will take place at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 224 West Kinney Street, Newark. Doors open at 6:30pm.

While the December 1, 1955 arrest of Rosa Parks is world renown, several months earlier on March 2nd,Colvin, only a 15 year old student and member of the NAACP Youth Council in Montgomery at the time, similarly refused to give up her seat to a white woman and faced arrest.

Because her action was more spontaneous and because her personal profile was not as “reputable,” Colvin’s action did not get the attention that Parks would later. Unlike Parks, Colvin also endured a terrible beating when she was arrested. Colvin and her family were not deterred, however. Later on, lawyers on her behalf, and on behalf of three other young women, Aurelia Browder, Susie McDonald and Mary Louise Smith, who also dared to faced arrest protesting Montgomery’s segregated busing, filed a case in federal court that would ultimately be the case that would be used to ban segregated busing in Alabama. The case is known as Browder v Gayle. It was on June 5, 1956 that federal judges ruled that segregated busing was unconstitutional citing the historic Brown v. Bd. of Education case of 1954. Knowing that the city and the bus company would appeal the ruling, Dr. King vowed to continue the boycott until the ruling was put into action. That would not come until December 20, 1956 when the Supreme Court upheld the earlier decision.

Ms. Colvin’s moving story was also captured in the book, Twice Towards Justice, by Phillp Hosse, a recipient of the National Book Award.“We are honored beyond words to have this brave and heroic freedom fighter in our midst,” said a humbled but impassioned Lawrence Hamm, the organization’s chairman.

“The People’s Organization for Progress will proudly aid every effort to see to it that Ms. Colvin gets the proper official recognition she is most certainly due.”The People’s Organization for Progress meets every Thursday at Abyssinian Baptist Church at 6:30pm.

For more information, please call 973 801 0001

Two new documentaries on American high schools

Watch Preview on PBS. See more from 180 Days.

180 Days: A Year Inside an American High School premieres Monday, March 25, 2013 on PBS stations. Following the day-to-day stories of students, parents, teachers and staff at the Washington Metropolitan High School (also known as DC Met), 180 Days: Inside An American High School, is an intimate portrait of a public school that attempts to make a difference in the lives of students each and every day.



A Tale of Two Schools: Race and Education on Long Island. ERASE Racism’s documentary, A TALE OF TWO SCHOOLS: Race and Education on Long Island, follows David and Owen, two African American teenagers during their senior year of high school. Even though the students have a lot in common, they go to very different schools. A TALE OF TWO SCHOOLS spotlights these differences and the results of educational disparities. The film also focuses on the benefits that diversity provides for all students.
See http://www.eraseracismny.org/our-work/education/a-tale-of-two-schools-race-and-education-on-long-island

Both documentaries give interesting perspectives on American education today.

Grade 1-4 students vote now for the Black Awards or Cook Prize

Calling First to Fourth Grade elementary school students (and their teachers and librarians).

Time to vote for the Irma Simonton Black and James H. Black Award and the Cook Prize!

Deadline April 15, 2013.

The Irma Simonton Black and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature (Irma Black Award) goes to an outstanding book for young children - a book in which text and illustrations are inseparable, each enhancing and enlarging on the other to produce a singular whole. The Irma Black Award is unusual in that children are the final judges of the winning book.

The award is presented each May at a breakfast ceremony held at Bank Street College.

How to participate in next year's award

First and second grade readers will be choosing their favorite picture book after careful thought, deliberations, discussions, and dialogue! We hope you and your classes have fun while learning about the joy of reading! Fill out the Registration form .
VOTES ARE DUE ON APRIL 15TH.
Voting link will be emailed after you submit your registration
Go to http://bankstreet.edu/center-childrens-literature/irma-black-award/
or email kfreda@bankstreet.edu for more information.

2013 Finalists
Big Mean Mike
by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Scott Magoon
Candlewick

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
by Mo Willems
Harper Collins

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?
by Mo Willems
Hyperion

This is Not My Hat
by Jon Klassen
Candlewick

The Cook Prize honors the best science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) picture book published for children aged eight to ten. It is the only national children's choice award honoring a STEM book.

Cook Prize finalists are chosen from a list of sixteen STEM books included in the Children's Book Committee Best Books of the Year.
A panel of judges comprised of two math/science faculty from the Graduate School of Education, two teachers from the School for Children and two distinguished Bank Street alumni will narrow the field of sixteen to four.
Following the same format as the Irma Black Award, third and fourth grade teachers and librarians are invited to read aloud, discuss and encourage students to vote for their favorite STEM book of the finalists.

How to participate

Your third and fourth grade readers will be choosing their favorite STEM picture book of the year. These 5 books were carefully chosen by educators, scientists, and librarians who wish to promote nonfiction picture books as a wonderful and joyful resource for young people. We hope you and your classes have fun while engaging in the joy of reading!
VOTES ARE DUE ON APRIL 15TH.Submit a Registration form  and a voting link will be emailed after you submit your registration.
Go to http://bankstreet.edu/center-childrens-literature/cook-prize/
or email  jbrown@bankstreet.edu for more information
2013 Finalists

Busy Builders
by Roxie Munro
Marshall Cavendish

How Many Jelly Beans?
by Andrea Menotti, illustrated by Yancey Labat
Chronicle

Infinity and Me
by Kate Hosford, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
Carolrhoda

Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas
by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm
Scholastic

Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives
by Gene Barretta
Macmillan

Congress, Sequestration and Education

From http://aacte.org/federal-grassroots-action-network.html

Automatic “Sequestration” Cuts to Begin March 1

Unless Congress acts, on March 1, 2013 all federally-funded education programs (other than Pell grants) will be subject to a 5.1% automatic across-the-board cut as part of sequestration.

This will reduce funding for education programs by $2.6 billion. Important programs for educator preparation such as Teacher Quality Partnership grants, School Leadership grants, Transition to Teaching, and Math and Science partnerships will all be cut.

Other consequences of sequestration:

• Head Start will be cut by $409 million.

• Title I will be cut by $745 million.

• IDEA will be cut by $636 million.

• Funding for Title II, ESEA Teacher Quality Grants will be cut by $127 million.

• Student financial aid programs such as Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and Work-Study will be cut by $88 million.

• Higher education competitive grant programs will cut by a combined $132 million.

• Career, Technical and Adult Education will be cut by $89 million.


Education has already been cut by over $1 billion in the last two fiscal years. Congress needs to show leadership and find other ways to lower spending – education has done its part.

Contact Congress today and tell them to compromise so these cuts do not happen.

Take these 4 easy action steps to save funding for education programs:

• Click on this link. It will bring you to a prepared alert on AACTE’s Grassroots Action Network.

• Fill in your information so that the message goes to your elected representatives.

• Fill in any information you wish to add in the editable text box (e.g. if you have a federal grant tell them how important the program is for recruiting students, reforming educator preparation, etc. and what would be lost if spending is cut.).

• Click Submit.

If you have any questions please contact Jon Gentile at jgentile@aacte.org

National Digital Learning Day-2/6/13

Celebrate National Digital Learning Day - Wednesday February 6, 2013!

The second annual National Digital Learning Day will take place on Wednesday, February 6. This event celebrates innovative teaching practices that encourage exploration of digital learning, emphasizing how it can provide students with crucial skill sets and increased opportunities. Digital Learning Day recognizes all educators and the successful use of technology in the classroom. Educators are encouraged to participate and personalize the day to inspire students, parents, principles, teachers and other educators to embrace digital learning.

Join the Online Digital Chats

Digital Learning Day Live Chats

As part of the Digital Learning Day celebration, the Alliance has brought together education experts for a series of live chats on the best practices in digital learning and how to improve the educational experience and outcomes for all students.

Details on each of the three live chats are below, followed by a separate “Cover It Live” chat box dedicated to that specific chat. Click http://www.digitallearningday.org/chat to access the chats

•9:00 am – 11:30 am (ET): DLD 2013 Morning Chat: Focus on Instruction, Lesson Plans, and Innovative Strategies and Tools

•11:30 am ET – 12:30 pm (ET): DLD 2013 Special Edition: Chat with Rock Stars on Education Policy, Practice, & Media

•2:30 pm – 3:30 pm (ET): DLD 2013 Afternoon Chat: Project 24: A Focus on the Digital Learning Transition

National Digital Learning Day is presented by the Alliance for Excellent Education and other national educational organizations. The American Library Association's American Association of School Librarians, as well as teachers and other educators are key partners is promoting the event.

For more information on National Digital Learning Day, including toolkits, advocacy tools and current news, visit: http://www.digitallearningday.org/

David Luibar and Wendy Mass at South Orange Public Library 2/10/13

Authors David Lubar and Wendy Mass at South Orange Public Library!

Sunday, February 10, 2013, 2:00 pm

South Orange Public Library,
 65 Scotland Rd,
South Orange, NJ
Get Directions »

FREE

These are the authors your kids read and love, David Lubar and Wendy Mass! Come out and meet them in person at the South Orange library on Sunday February 10th at 2pm! Sponsored by Friends of the SOPL and Sparkhouse.

http://www1.youseemore.com/southorange/default.asp
https://sites.google.com/site/friendsofsopl

ALA Book Media Awards announced 1/28/13

Caldecott:

Award:
Jon Klassen, illustrator and author  of” This Is Not My Hat” ( juv.K635t)

Honor:
“Creepy Carrots!” illustrated by Peter Brown and  written by Aaron Reynolds
“Extra Yarn,” illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett
“Green,” illustrated and written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
“One Cool Friend,” illustrated by David Small, written by Toni Buzzeo
Sleep Like a Tiger,” illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Mary Logue

Newbery

Award:
Katherine Applegate, author of “The One and Only Ivan, illustrated byPatricia Castelaoand

Honor:
“Splendors and Glooms” by Laura Amy Schlitz
"Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon” by Steve Sheinkin
“Three Times Lucky” by Sheila Turnage

Printz

Award:
 “In Darkness,” written by Nick Lake

Honor:
“Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
“Code Name Verity,” written by Elizabeth Wein
Dodger,” written by Terry Pratchet
“The White Bicycle,” written by Beverley Brenna

Pura Belpre Awards

Author  (Narrative)Award
Benjamín Alire Sáenz, author of “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Author (Narrative) Honor:
“The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano” by Sonia Manzano

Illustrator Award:
David Díaz, illustrator of “Martín de Porres: The Rose in the Desert written by Gary D. Schmidt

There were no Illustrator Honor awards

Coretta Scott King Awards

Author Award:
Andrea Davis Pinkney, author of “Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America,”

Author Honor awards:
"Each Kindness” by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis
“No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Micheaux, Harlem Bookseller” by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Illustrator Award:
Bryan Collier, illustrator of “I, Too, Am America written by Langston Hughes ( juv.811.52.H893i)

Illustrator Honor:
“Ellen’s Broom” illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons (juv. L9913e)
"H. O. R. S. E.” illustrated and written by Christopher Myers
“I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr.” illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Martin Luther King, Jr

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

Award:
Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon,” written by Steve Sheinkin,
Honor:
“Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin,” written and illustrated by Robert Byrd  “Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95,” written by Phillip M. Hoose
“Titanic: Voices from the Disaster,” written by Deborah Hopkinson

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults:

Winner:
“Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon,” written by Steve Sheinkin,

Finalists:
 “Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different,” written by Karen Blumenthal,
“Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95,” written by Phillip Hoose ( Juv.598.072 H789m)
“Titanic: Voices from the Disaster,” written by Deborah Hopkinson, published by Scholastic Press,
“We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March,” written by Cynthia Levinson,

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book

Award:
Up, Tall and High!” written and illustrated by Ethan Long

Honor:
“Let’s Go for a Drive!” written and illustrated by Mo Willems,
“Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons” by Eric Litwin, created and illustrated by James Dean
 “Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover,” written and illustrated by Cece Bell .

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:

Children ages 0 to 10.

“Back to Front and Upside Down!” written and illustrated by Claire Alexander

Middle-school (ages 11-13)
“A Dog Called Homeless” written by Sarah Lean

Teen (ages 13-18)
“Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am,” written by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis

Stonewall Book Award  for English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience:

Award:
“Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Honor:
Drama,” written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier ( Juv.T2714d)
Gone, Gone, Gone,” written by Hannah Moskowitz
“October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard,” written by Lesléa Newman
“Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie,” written by S. J. Adams

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children's book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States:


Winner:
“My Family for the War” (originally published in Germany in 2007 as “Liverpool Street)” written by Anne C. Voorhoeve, translated by Tammi Reichel and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Honor:
 “A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return,” written and illustrated by Zeina Abirached, translated by Edward Gauvin and published by Graphic Universe,
“Son of a Gun,” written and translated by Anne de Graaf, and published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

An archived webcast of the awards is available here:
http://cdnlive.webcastinc.com/ala/2013/live/

ADIFF presents the Best of ADIFF in New York City 1/18/12-1/20/12

The African Diaspora Film Festival presents selections which would be of interest to second language teachers of Spanish, French and Portuguese as well as teachers and  professors of multicultural studies and intercultural communications studies.

It often presents films which both culturally authentic and thought provoking and which provide information or viewpoints not easily found elsewhere.

The Best of ADIFF in NYC  This Weekend!    Doctor Bello, Garifuna in Peril, Tango Macbeth, Sister, and more! LA PIROGUE US Theatrical Premiere in NYC at Film Forum, Jan. 23!

THE BEST OF ADIFF Fri, Jan. 18 to Sun, Jan. 20  TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY  Screenings at the Cowin Center and The Chapel - 525 W 120th St. (between Broadway & Amsterdam)  photo id REQUIRED TO ENTER THE BUILDING GARIFUNA IN PERIL Fri, Jan. 18 @ 6:30PM - Cowin - Teachers College Q&A After the screening. A Garifuna language teacher from a coastal village in Honduras, Central America, struggles to preserve his indigenous culture and communal lands in the face of tourism's encroachment and personal betrayal. Directed by Ali Allie & Ruben Reyes, 2012, 100 min, USA/Honduras, Drama, Garifuna/English/Spanish with English [...]Read More  DOCTOR BELLO Fri, Jan. 18 @ 8:30PM - Cowin Center, Teachers College. Q&A After the screening. A revolutionary collaboration between Hollywood and Nollywood, Dr. Bello follows the life of brilliant cancer specialist Dr. Michael Durant (Isaiah Washington). Emotionally troubled and on bad terms with his wife (Vivica A. Fox), Dr. Durant becomes attached to Sam, a seven-year-old patient whose health deteriorates [...] Read More  ABDIAS DO NASCIMENTO Sat, Jan. 19 @ 2PM - Chapel - Teachers College Loving and revealing documentary about Afro-Brazilian scholar/writer/activist /politician Abdias do Nasciemento (1930-2011), a significant figure in and leader in Brazil's Black movement who fo unded the Black Experimental Theater in 1964 and was very active in the international Pan-African Movement. Directed by Aida Marques, 2011, 95 [...]Read More  HERE WE DROWN ALGERIANS / ICI ON NOIE LES ALGERIENS Sat, Jan. 19 @ 4PM - The Chapel In response to the call of the National Liberation Front, thousands of Algerians marched on October 17, 1961 to protest against the curfew imposed on them. The brutal repression they confronted is recounted in detail in this documentary, which reveals one of the painful pages of the [...] Read More  SISTER Sat, Jan. 19 @ 6PM - The Chapel, Teachers College Q&A After the screening. The story of health workers in Ethiopia, Cambodia and Haiti, Sister offers a revealing portrait of people whose daily work is to help women give birth in an atmosphere of low prenatal care and high maternal and child mortality. The filmmaker follows a Haitian midwife, [...] Read More  LA PLAYA D.C. Sat, Jan. 19 @ 8PM - Chapel - Teachers College Tomas, an Afro-Colombian teenager who fled the country's Pacific coast pushed out by the war, faces difficulties of growing up in a city of exclusion and racism. When Jairo, his younger brother and closer friend disappear, Tomas is forced to leave his home to look [...] Read More  HOPEVILLE Sun, Jan. 20 @ 1PM - Chapel - Teachers College Hopeville tells the story of Amos, a reformed alcoholic on a mission to forge a relationship with his son Themba. When both arrive in the dusty town of Hopeville, they discover a community with a long history of hate, corruption, fear and apathy. Through patience, [...] Read More  TANGO MACBETH Sun, Jan. 20 @ 3PM - Chapel - Teachers College Q&A After the screening. Tango MacBeth offers a multicultural, multigenerational vision and presentation of the Shakespeare play. This provocative version of Macbeth unfold like a Möbius strip. Moving back and forth, the drama of the play intertwines with the drama of making the film. The film offers an original [...] Read More  BETWEEN FRIENDS Sun, Jan 20 @ 5PM - The Chapel, Teachers College Hailing from Trinidad and Tobago, Between Friends is a film that presents an anthology of intersecting stories and characters who are all con nected to one another in some way. The storyline, focused on two generations of contemporary middle class Trinidadians, gradually exposes the hopes, secrets, [...] Read More  ONE PEOPLE (VAN PIPEL) Sunday, Jan. 20 @ 7PM - The Chapel, Teachers College Recommended! "Eye-opening... De la Parra depicts his [protagonist's] rediscovery of Suriname as an exuberant rite of passage, rich in flora, music, and fashion." -Chicago Reader   Roy (Borger Breeveld) is a young black Surinamese studying in Amsterdam. When he learns that his mother is seriously [...] Read More Following its US Gala Screening Premiere during the 20th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival, THE PIROGUE will now have its first US Theatrical Release at Film Forum starting on January 23, 2013. THE PIROGUE Wednesday, January 23 - Tuesday, February 5 Screening   Times  1:00 2:50 4:40 6:30 8:20 10:10 BUY TICKETS  $7 Member   $12.50 Regular DIRECTED BY MOUSSA TOURÉ Senegal, a West African nation on the Atlantic Ocean, was home to Africa's greatest movie-maker, Ousmane Sembene. Today, Moussa Touré follows in the master's footsteps with this drama of 30 men (and one wo man, a stowaway) who set out on an illegal 7-day voyage to Spain - making the perilous trip in a pirogue - a boat resembling a vastly oversized dinghy. While sharing a common desire to build a better future, these men hail from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. The story grows from a finely delineated mosaic of personalities - reactions to the journey's mounting danger - that span the emotional panoply of human experience. Touré's compelling tale says as much about the universal nature of courage and perfidy as it does about the economic realities faced by so many of the world's people. THE PIROGUE was featured in Cannes 2012, in the Un Certain Regard section. SENEGAL / FRANCE * 2012 * 87 MINS. IN FRENCH, WOLOF, AND AL PELAAR WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES * ARTMATTAN PRODUCTIONS Pirogue trailer Eng subtitled SALE ON ALL OUR CARIBBEAN FILMS!  ONLY $9.99 PER DVD! Click on DVD cover for details.            and       I LOVE THE AFRICAN DIASPORA T-Shirt $15 Size: Add to Cart The I LOVE THE AFRICAN DIASPORA T-Shirt is designed to show your support of the African Diaspora International Film Festiva l. The heart in green, yellow, and red symbolizes your love for Africa. The front design is placed on the left hand side of the shirt, above your heart. The back of the shirt shows the name of the festival in big yellow letters.  Classy and discreet, the T-Shirt is a great statement of support to ADIFF - http://www.NYADIFF.org  Black. Classic-Cut, 100% cotton. Available in small, medium, large, X large and XX large.      If you can't come to the festival, the festival can come to you! Buy Films Online at www.AFRICANDIASPORADVD.com  or  WATCH THEM ON VOD!       NEW FILMS ON VOD!     WATCH  SCHEHERAZADE, TELL ME A STORY  by Yousri Nasrallah   CLICK HERE            WATCH   AVA &a mp; GABRIEL   by Felix De Rooy     CLICK HERE               WATCH  NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH  by John Kani     CLICK HERE                 WATCH   TIME AND JUDGEMENT  by Menelik Shabazz       CLICK HERE      WATCH MASAI, THE RAIN WARRIORS        CLICK HERE  WATCH   MADE IN JAMAICA ONLINE    CLICK HERE WATCH RETURN TO GOREE ONLINE   CLICK HERE WATCH DARATT /DRY SEASON ONLINE  CLICK HERE WATCH KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS ONLINE CLICK HERE Or purchase your DVD copy Visit www.AFRICANDIASPORADVD.com  SUPPORT The African Diaspora International Film Festival! There  are several ways to help t © Copyright 2005 ArtMattan Productions. All Rights Reserved.| To unsubscribe, please click here, or send an email to info@africandiasporavideo.com with "UNSUBSCRIBE" as the subject line. Email Sent January 14, 2013, 2:47 pm