SURVIVAL

Fall Literacy Program & Teen Read Week 2006

October - November
Sterling Jr. High and High School

This year was Sterling Secondary School's first all-school read, coordinated by literacy coach Marilee Kruse. Each student and faculty member received a copy of Night, a Holocaust memoir by Elie Wiesel. Students and staff read and discussed the book during October in their advisory groups. To cap off the all-school read, the Teen Read Week theme was “Survival" and celebrated people and groups who have overcome obstacles. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to hear author and Holocaust survivor Marion Blumenthal speak in January, and jr. high students will study Blumenthal's book, Four Perfect Pebbles.

“Survivors” Door Decorating Contest
Each advisory or homeroom chose a group or person who has SURVIVED against all odds . Students then decorated their classroom door to reflect that person's life. Winning advisories received a delicious FREE BREAKFAST (plus bragging rights!). See all the awesome doors in our Photo Album.

High School winners: Mrs. Krueger's door honoring Joni Eareckson Tada Mrs. Prather's door honoring local veterans Junior High winner: Mrs. Ball's door honoring Harriet Tubman

Thanks to all the classes who participated by decorating a door. Other survivors honored include: cancer survivors Susan Patterson, Susan Brown, and Clara Kilbourn; hurricane Katrina survivors and former Sterling residents Ed & Ron; mountain climber Aron Ralston; Jessica Lynch; Lance Armstrong; and Jesus Christ. View all the doors on our photo album.

Tribute to Joni Eareckson Tada	created by Mrs. Krueger's class
Tribute to local veterans	created by Mrs. Prather's class
Tribute to Harriet Tubman	created by Mrs. Ball's class

Literacy Facts Poster Contest
Mr. Feil 's freshman Communications class created and displayed posters featuring facts about reading and literacy. Winners received a FREE candlelight pizza lunch in the library!

SJH Book Chat Program

Press Release

Literacy activities highlighted at SHS, SJH

Susan Brown and Susan Patterson, cancer survivors and USD #376 staff members, were among those honored during fall literacy and Teen Read Week activities at Sterling Jr. High and High School. After high school students and staff participated in an all-school read of the Holocaust memoir Night coordinated by literacy coach Marilee Kruse , all students in grades 7-12 took part in Teen Read Week activities with a “Survival” theme.

Advisory groups competed in a door decorating contest in which each classroom chose a group or person who has survived against all odds. Classroom doors were then decorated to honor their chosen survivors. In additional to our “surviving Susans,” other survivors featured on doors included: hurricane Katrina survivors and one-time Sterling residents Ed and Ron; local veterans; local cancer survivor (and students' grandmother) Clara Kilbourn; quadraplegic Joni Eareckson Tada; mountain climber Aron Ralston; Jessica Lynch; Lance Armstrong; Harriet Tubman; and Jesus Christ. Contest winners from the classrooms of Carol Prather , Jackie Krueger , and Lorrie Ball were treated to a breakfast of cinnamon rolls and juice.

Other Teen Read Week activities included a trivia contest, AR reading contest for jr. high, and poster contest for the freshman communications classes. Prizes included free books, Hastings gift certificates, ala carte coupons, and a candlelight pizza lunch in the library.

As a follow-up activity to the all-school read, all students in grades 7-12 will travel to Nickerson January 29 to hear author and Holocaust survivor Marion Blumenthal speak. “This is such an amazing opportunity for our students to hear first-hand from a Holocaust survivor,” commented district librarian Amy Brownlee . “There aren't many people from that generation left to tell their stories.”

Literacy coach Marilee Kruse will lead jr. high students in a study of Blumenthal's book Four Perfect Pebbles to round out the secondary school's all-school read program.