Russell Cave Elementary; librarian

"Children + Books = the BEST job in the world!

"Early in my career, I believed that turning a child on to reading was simply exposing them to good literature. Boy, was I wrong! I realized it’s about engaging students so that they are able to make a connection to what they’ve just read. To make that connection real, I bring stories to life by using puppets, drama and storytelling. I believe when you share your passion for a story, students will connect to that passion, and then it becomes contagious! Students get excited and want to experience more.

"I also value the differences among my students and believe that we learn from each other daily. Understanding the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of one another can make us all stronger. 

"My ultimate goal is to instill a love for reading so that all students will continue it on into their adult lives. Turning children into lifelong readers truly 'takes a village.' It takes teamwork from all members of the learning community to ensure the successes of our students.

"It’s like Miss Lemon from the book 'The Library Dragon' who says, 'The library belongs to the children.'"