2015 Teen Tech Week™ grant recipients announced
For Immediate Release
Mon, 02/09/2015
Contact:
Anna Lam
Communications Specialist
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
CHICAGO – The recipients of the Young Adult Library Services Association’s Teen Tech Week grant have been selected. A total of 20 recipients from a pool of 127 applicants were selected to receive Teen Tech Week grants of $1,000 each, funded by Best Buy, to support activities aimed at helping teens build the digital literacy skills they need to be successful in college and careers.
The recipients are as follows:
- Alexandra Annen; Homer Township Public Library; Homer Glen, Illinois.
- Melissa Eleftherion Carr; Mendocino County Library; Ukiah, California.
- Tricia George; Hartford (Connecticut) Public Library
- Mari Hardacre; Allen County Public Library; Fort Wayne, Indiana.
- Emily Heideman; Waupaca (Wisconsin) Area Public Library
- Penny Johnson; Baraboo (Wisconsin) Public Library
- Maggie Keeble; Davie County Public Library; Mockville, North Carolina.
- Rachel Kocis; Rochester (Illinois) Public Library District
- Amanda Kordeliski; Irving Middle School Library; Norman, Oklahoma.
- Amy Marshall; Craig (Alaska) Public Library
- Lana Nix; Chestatee High School; Gainesville, Georgia.
- Megan Northcote; Ashe County Public Library; West Jefferson, North Carolina.
- Laura Panter; Sachem Public Library; Holbrook, New York.
- Janae Pitts-Murdock; Memphis (Tennessee) Public Library and Information Center
- Melvin Racelis; Rancho Cucamonga (California) Library
- Jasmine Richard; Lockport (Louisiana) Public Library
- Sarah Ryan; Hancock County Public Library; Greenfield, Indiana.
- Dan Thorson; Crete (Illinois) Public Library District
- Lindsey Tomsu; La Vista (Nebraska) Public Library
- Grisel Torralbas; Wilde e-Library; Hialeah, Florida.
In addition to the grant, recipients will receive a gift pack of themed posters and bookmarks, as well as other “making” resources. Other libraries wishing to celebrate Teen Tech Week can sign up on the Teen Tech Week website for access to free digital downloads of themed posters, bookmarks, webinars and other resources.
Learn more about making in libraries via the resources on YALSA’s wiki, including a free webinar and downloadable toolkit. Read YALSA’s recent report “The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: A Call to Action” to learn more about libraries’ role in helping teens extend their learning beyond the classroom in order to gain the digital literacy skills needed for 21st century careers. The report can be accessed at www.ala.org/yaforum.
Teen Tech Week is a national celebration that offers libraries the chance to highlight all of the digital tools, resources and services they offer to teens and their families. It will be celebrated with the theme “Libraries are for Making…” and takes place March 8-14. To learn more about Teen Tech Week, visit www.ala.org/teentechweek, or check out #TTW15 on Twitter. Best Buy is the official sponsor of Teen Tech Week.
Supplemental products related to Teen Tech Week and digital literacy, such as a Makerspace Safety poster, a Good Digital Citizen poster and bookmark and YALSA’s Teen Read Week and Teen Tech Week: Tips and Resources for YALSA’s Initiative publication are available for purchase through the ALA Store.
Best Buy Co., Inc. is the world’s largest consumer electronics retailer, offering advice, service and convenience – at competitive prices – to the consumers who visit its websites and stores more than 1.5 billion times each year. In the United States, more than 70 percent of Americans are within 15 minutes of a Best Buy store. Additionally, the company operates businesses in Canada, China and Mexico. Altogether, Best Buy employs more than 140,000 people and earns annual revenues of more than $40 billion.
For more than 50 years, YALSA has worked to build the capacity of libraries and library staff to engage, serve and empower teens. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.