Valrico Edition
February 2022
DURANT HIGH SCHOOL CELEBRATES LITERACY WEEK
Page 3
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By Lily Belcher Throughout the nection between reading week of January and the books and inter24, Durant High preting that into … a piece School celebrated of art,” explained Randall. Literacy Week to Students were encourpromote reading aged to wear camouflage and writing in the and ‘hunt’ for a good book school. Durant’s on Tuesday and teachers literacy week read an excerpt from one of was packed with their favoractivities and ite books to competitions for their classes all staff and stuon Wednesdents. day. “It’s just a Staff and great way to raise students awareness of each incorsomething that Durant High School Senior Cassidy Bran- porated their favorite word kley picks out books in the Media Center I think that we into their outfit and Durant’s on Friday of Literacy Week. take for granted staff had a teacher book a lot—the ability to read and the right to club where they discussed popular teen read. There’s so many people who can’t novels on Thursday. read and it’s a struggle in their everyday “We’ve got a teachers book club where life,” said librarian Melanie Randall. we’re gonna meet and have breakfast Durant kicked off literacy week by an- as teachers, and we read young adult nouncing a variety of student contests books together so then we can connect that are related to popular novels. The with students reading those books also,” National English Honor Society hosted said Randall. a writing contest for students to share Literacy Week concluded with a free a book, character or symbol that has book swap and giveaway in the library shaped or changed their life. Students on Friday. could also post their favorite lines from “My favorite activity is always weara book on their social media pages and a-word day … but my students’ favorite enter for a drawing to meet with author day is when they get free books,” said Fred Aceves in February. English and literature teacher Laura EsFor the more artistically inclined stu- tes-Swilley. dents, there were movie poster and Literacy Week is a statewide celebrabookmark design contests and a manga tion that Durant participates in each drawing contest. year. This year’s theme was ‘Launch Into “I love all the art contests because … Literacy, Blast Off Into New Worlds.’ we have a lot of students that it really For more information on this year’s draws them in and they can make a con- event, visit fldoe.org.
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