The eXchange at Innovation Academy

We cosplayed, wrote and wax-sealed letters, created our own wands, designed our own prophecy balls, learned the art of divination by reading tea leaves and palms, and had open and honest conversations about the relevance of Harry Potter in modern society.

The Student Library Advisory Board consists of several committees:

• MakerSpace
• Podcast
• Reading Buddy Volunteer Program
• Monthly Programming
• Social Media
• Collection Development
• Fundraising
• Author Visits

Each committee works closely with Mrs. Bongiorno on developing a creative space for future generations of students and staff at IA.

From designing ideas and lessons for our laser cutters to 3D printing to electrical engineering to low tech creative tools, we're getting ready for the soft opening in October as students complete a safety quiz created by our MakerSpace lead, Nick. Off Bay 2 of the eXchange, students and staff have access to a prototyping space and on Bay 3 is the podcast room.

This semester, a team of ninth graders and our two SLAB/MakerSpace leads joined Mrs. Bongiorno on a trip to Roswell Firelabs to explore how the many ways a MakerSpace can support a community of self-directed learners. We asked tons of questions and have started applying several ideas to our own space.

The biggest celebration from this experience is the redesign of our 2nd and 3rd floors of the eXchange. We are currently working on shifting the way we see the space on the 2nd floor as a creative project space and the 3rd floor as our reading and individual study hub.

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. It brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.

While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.

From the website of the American Library Association @ http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned

The Top Ten lists are a sobering reminder that censorship is alive and well in America. And while it’s important to recognize that many book banning campaigns begin as well-intentioned, community-based efforts to keep children safe, a glance at the last 20 years of Top Ten lists shows that such efforts overwhelmingly suppress books by and about minorities, at a time when America is growing increasingly demographically diverse. It’s also clear that there’s a relationship between the books that are routinely banned and the social issues dividing Americans: sex education and abstinence, Black Lives Matter, immigration, LGBTQIA issues, and religion.

As educators, we play a vital role in informing children and young adults of their First Amendment rights and ensuring that these rights are protected and maintained in the school library. Show young readers how to enjoy freedom — encourage them to read something new this week!

This year's theme was "Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us." Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Censorship, on the other hand, creates barriers.

• We had a virtual book room linked to the Top 10 Challenged Books of 2021.
• We had a Banned Books Week lesson that discussed the different perspectives on Banned Books.
• Hosted a Banned Books Week display on Bay 2 of the eXchange!

September may be over, but you can still get a library card any time!

There is nothing more empowering than getting your own library card. It gives you access to technology, resources, and services to pursue your passions and dreams. Beyond access to physical and virtual books and magazines, the public library offers free virtual tutoring, world language practice, additional databases, and even partnership passes to local museums and attractions.

The eXchange (your friendly IA school library) has partnered with the Alpharetta Branch of the Fulton County Public Library system to make signing up for a library card even easier for IA students and staff!

All you need to do to receive your public library card (or renew) is to complete the form located here: https://bit.ly/ialibrarycard

Once the library cards are ready, I will deliver student cards to English classrooms and yours to you personally.

The best part about libraries? They offer FREE access, which means all of this service is FREE to you and our students.

We have been able to deliver over 80 public library cards so far this year!

Join us on October 14th during lunches in the Hangar for our IA book fair with local bookstore, Read it Again books.

Students will be able to purchase books on site with cash or card.

We are extremely grateful for your support!

2022-2023 Technology Fair Information

TIMELINE INFORMATION:

• October 28th - Registration Deadline (print and complete the registration form and copyright form and submit to Mrs. Bongiorno)
• October 29th - November 9th - The IA Project Committee will determine students eligibility to continue
• November 10th - Mrs. Bongiorno will register selected students for regional competition
• December 3rd - The specific judging time for 12/10 will be communicated to Mrs. Bongiorno and will be shared with participating students
• December 10th - In-Person Regional Competition at Riverwood High School

• This is an in-person competition.
• All 3rd -12th grade Fulton County students are invited to enter a student created Technology Project that aligns with one of these CATEGORIES.
• Students may enter only ONE project.
• Projects may be submitted by an individual or up to two team members.
• Projects are to be designed and created by students. Some adult guidance is allowed, but it must be clear that work entered by students was done by the students. Judges will expect students to demonstrate that the work is their own.
• Read the category descriptions before you select your project category. No changes will be made after the project has been submitted. After that time, students’ projects will be judged based on the category for which they registered. Changes in category WILL NOT be made for any reason after submission. Projects will be judged by the category under which the project was submitted.
• If more than one project is submitted per category per grade level band (example: Two different projects for 3D printing are submitted for 9th grade), the selection committee will determine which project moves on to the regional competition through an interview process with students.
  
• Every student participant is required to complete and have the project submission copyright form with them on the day of the competition.

Student Interest Form

Maker challenges will be out on the 2nd floor as well as collaborative challenges with others schools on the 3rd floor at the monitor.

Make your own "Warhol" Template!

• Remix in Seconds with Adobe Express (login with your school email address -- student# @ fcstu.org)
• Template Link: https://adobe.ly/3RmYFkn

Description:

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.

But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.

Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.

But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?

Email: bongiornom@fultonschools.org
Website: exchangeatinnovation.com
Phone: (470)254-8257
Twitter: @mrs_bongi