RUNNER LIBRARIAN GETS STUDENTS MOVING

George Gibson, owner of The Fitness Zone in Lugoff, SC,

presents Doby's Mill Elementary School Librarian, Betsy Long

(pictured with Cathy Peake's 4th graders) 

with a $300 check to assist in funding

some of the school's student health initiatives.

Avid runner and school librarian Betsy Long knows how to get kids moving.  You Go, Girls, a 4^th & 5^th grade running club for girls, Doby's Dashers or D2, a running club for boys, and morning exercise program Brain Sparks, are three health initiatives she created and runs at Doby's Mill Elementary School in Elgin, South Carolina. 

“Our children live in an age in which computers rule and obesity kills,” said Long. “Every step we can take to combat the negative effect of a sedentary lifestyle is meaningful.”  Her students live in a high-poverty area of South Carolina. There are not many opportunities for these children to exercise unless they are enrolled in after-school athletic activities, which can be pricey and cumbersome, if not impossible, for numerous single-parent families to manage. There are very few public walking or exercise facilities in the school's immediate vicinity, and roughly half of the students are classified as obese.

Betsy Long’s efforts have been well-received by the community.  Students rush to sign up for the clubs, and local stores such as The Fitness Zone have supported her efforts with donations.  Long is a creative problem solver.  She recently used Donors Choose.org to raise funds to purchase ergonomic computer chairs.

Doby’s Mill Principal Virginia Catoe said, “BrainSparks helps students build self-confidence while providing them with regular cardiovascular exercise (running, yoga, pilates, etc.) each morning to prepare them mentally, physically, and emotionally for their day. Her mentorship has assisted our school by reducing tardiness, improving attendance, and promoting on task behavior for this at-risk student group!”

Long is the recipient of the 2011 I Love My Librarian Award, and was named the 2008 Media Specialist of the Year by the South Carolina Association of School Librarians, 2006 Wal-mart Teacher of the Year, and 2006 Doby's Mill Elementary School Teacher of the Year.

 

 

Photo: Jennings, Tanessa. "The Fitness Zone donates $300 to Doby’s Mill Elementary School." Your Community Kershaw County. WISTV.com. Web. 17 Dec 2013. <http://kershawcounty.wistv.com/news/business/54666-fitness-zone-donates-300-dobys-mill-elementary-school>.



FORMER REMEDIAL READER MAKES GIVING OUT BOOKS HER MISSION

Photo credit: Lake George Elementary School

How does school librarian Bridget Crossman get books to low-income children in Warren, Saratoga, and Washington counties in New York State?  First, she raises money by hosting an annual triathlon.  Those donations go to her nonprofit, BOOKS (Books Offer Opportunities for Kids to Succeed).  Next, she purchases books and distributes them in a variety of creative ways, including the Bright Red Bookshelf program in doctors’ offices; the Books at Birth program in Glens Falls Hospital; the Well Books program at the family health centers; and the Christmas with WIC (Women, Infants and Children) and the Moreau Community Center.  Crossman, who is the Lake George Elementary School librarian, is being recognized this fall for her unselfish efforts to promote literacy with the New York State Reading Association’s Library Media Specialist Award.

BOOKS was created in 2006, and, according to Crossman, distributes about 7,000 books annually.  “Reading is one of the most valuable tools we have for learning,” she said.  “I want every child to be able to read and find joy in reading.”  This unshelfish librarian’s story is poignant:  Crossman herself was a reluctant reader.  “I was in remedial reading.  It motivated me to want to help every child feel successful.  I want to help them feel excited about books.” 

Bridget Crossman also teaches her students to love reading at her K-6 school, through book talks and collaborative literacy lessons.  She is a member of the district’s Technology Committee, organizes the Reading Campout and two book fairs annually, and coaches students for the Battle of the Books.