YALSA names Teen Tech WeekTM Mini Grants winners
Contact: Stephanie Kuenn
Communications Specialist, YALSA
(312) 280-2128
skuenn@ala.org
For Immediate Release,
February 12, 2008
YALSA names Teen Tech Week
TM Mini Grants winners
CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced the winners of its 20 Teen Tech Week Mini Grants. The grants give each winning library $450 cash and $50 worth of official Teen Tech Week products to offer inventive activities, resources and services to celebrate Teen Tech Week, March 2-8.
The 2008 Teen Tech Week Mini Grants are made possible by Teen Tech Week 2008 Corporate Sponsor Dungeons & Dragons, a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. “As the developer of a game that fosters creativity and imagination, Dungeons & Dragons is always interested in events that encourage young people to expand their minds with new experiences,” said Sara Girard, associate brand manager for Dungeons & Dragons. “By supporting local and school libraries and the programs they provide, we are encouraging young people to learn and grow in new and exciting ways.”
The20 winners are:
- Keri Adams, Johnson Public Library, Hackensack, N.J.
- Monique Delatte, La Puente Library, La Puente, Calif.
- Gigi Yang, Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library, Broomfield, Colo.
- Jan E.V.W. Hanson, Longview Public Library, Longview, Wash.
- Laura Harrington, West Middle School, Andover, Mass.
- Charlene Helsel-Kather, Elyria Public Library, Elyria, Ohio
- Beth Hoeffgen, Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County, Mount Vernon, Ohio
- Karen Keys, Forest Hills Branch, Queens Library, Forest Hills, N.Y.
- Jenine Lillian, The Bush School Library, Seattle
- Lisa Lindsay, Fresno County Public Library, Fresno, Calif.
- Betsy Mangin, Stanton Middle School, Kent, Ohio
- Esther Moberg, Creswell Library, Creswell, Ore.
- Nastasha Johnson, Forsyth County Public Library, Winston-Salem, N.C.
- Jill Patterson, La Habra Library, La Habra, Calif.
- Jean Green and Maria Redburn, Bedford Public Library, Bedford, Texas
- Julie Richards, Eagle Valley Library District, Gypsum, Colo.
- Erin Seitz, Mary Ann Mongan Branch, Kenton County Public Library, Covington, Ky.
- Patti Smith, Robert Rowe Public Library District, Sheridan, Ill.
- Sarajo Wentling, Norwood Young America Branch, Carver County Library, Norwood Young America, Minn.
- Beth Wright, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, Vt.
The grants will fund a wide range of activities: gaming nights, a lock-in, funding to make short films about the library, a podcasting seminar and a unique program in which teens partner up with area seniors to teach them how to use a library's technology resources.
Many grant recipients expressed their shock and joy upon learning they won the grant. "I'm in the library," said Helsel-Kather in a whisper. "Otherwise I'd be screaming."
"You don't know the doors this opens up for our library system," said a shocked Wentling.
Wright, whose library is focusing this year on advocacy for teen resources, described the grant as "a shot in the arm." She continued, "This is so thrilling. And if we don't get grants like this, the things we want to accomplish become very difficult to achieve."
Now in its second year, Teen Tech Week is a national initiative aimed at teens, their parents, educators and other concerned adults with a general theme of Get Connected @ your library
®. The initiative ensures that teens are competent and ethical users of technologies, especially those that are offered through libraries. Teen Tech Week encourages teens to use libraries' nonprint resources for education and recreation, and to recognize that librarians are qualified, trusted professionals in the field of information technology. The 2008 Teen Tech Week theme is Tune In @ your library. Other Promotional Partners include ALA Graphics, e*vanced solutions, Rosen Publishing and Tutor.com. To learn more about Teen Tech Week, visit
www.ala.org/teentechweek.
About YALSA
For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audio books for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to
www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists , or contact the YALSA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail:
yalsa@ala.org.
About Dungeons & Dragons
A worldwide pop culture phenomenon for more than 30 years, Dungeons & Dragons is a game played with books, paper, pencils and now your computer. Players gather in groups to createheroic characters who journey together through a fantasy realm to discover treasure, fight monsters and triumph over adversity. Teens love D&D because it's exciting and interactive; educators love D&D because it thrives on creativity, imagination and cooperation (with a bit of math and reading thrown in).