One for the Record Books

by Nicole H. Cruz

District librarians held their January 24th meeting at the Museum of South Texas History. Dr. Lolly Pena, Education Outreach Director, presented information about educational trunks that are available to schools-free of charge. She also guided the librarians through the museum. Two current exhibits are the letters that Marine Freddy Gonzalez wrote to his mother while he was serving. The other interesting exhibit was the Meteorite Exhibit. Librarians learned how they can take their students to the museum on educational field trips. A huge thank you to our community benefactor who supported this meeting monetarily.

by Nicole H. Cruz

On Monday, March 3rd Sharyland ISD history was made. All secondary school united to host a virtual author visit with Jordan Sonnenblick. Mr. Sonnenblick is a well known young adult author. PHS, SHS, SA3, SNJH, and BL Gray students all come together to learn about the writing process, finding your purpose, and how to "be happy." Mr. Sonnenblick spoke about how the desire to "keep a promise" to a parent of a former student fueled him to write his first book-Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. Mr. Sonnenblick was a middle school language arts teacher. When asked to rate the presentation, 90% of students who attended, chose to rank it a 5-outstanding. Topics that students requested in the future include: How to Survive College; Mental Health Awareness; Personal Growth; Author Visits; Domestic Violence Survivor; Combatting Racism in School; and Gaining Self-Confidence.

by Nicole H. Cruz

During the week of February 11-14th, SA3 Librarian Nicole Cruz presented to thirteen SA3 classrooms on how to evaluate information effectively. She brought the lessons to the classrooms. Students engaged with two short activities as part of the lesson. She shared the importance of exploring currency, relevance, authority, and purpose when examining data.

by Elizabeth Moreno

The PHS library became a hub of creativity as students participated in Arts and Crafts Day. Students participated during their lunch break and had fun with their friends making different crafts. Students were able to create colorful bracelets, spring magnets, origami, or diamond stickers. This event provided students an opportunity to express themselves through art and explore their creative side. Students left the library with a craft in hand and a bit renewed by the fun break!

By: Thanya Montemayor

Mrs. P. Candanedo’s class seeks refuge in the library. We are deep into testing season and sometimes just relaxing on the carpet with a good book will help with the stress!

by Albert Ramos

Jensen Elementary is Celebrating, “Read Across America Week,” the week of March 3rd-7th! Students and Staff are participating in different activities throughout the week to encourage the joy and importance of Reading!

by Oneida Aleman

Our library's Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory apple fundraiser was a tremendous success! Our top sellers were rewarded with fantastic prizes, and the top-selling class enjoyed a pizza party celebration. The funds raised will be used to purchase flexible seating, coding supplies, and books.

A huge thank you to all the students and parents who participated and supported our library program. Your contributions make a significant difference!

by Patricia Ramos

Congratulations to the Battle of the Books team at Donna Wernecke Elementary! They represented our district at the elementary Regional competition on February 27th. They had an amazing time and were very excited to meet Gita Varadarajan co-author of Save Me a Seat and were also delighted to participate in a virtual presentation with author Sarah Weeks. This was a great experience for the team!

by Jose Guerrero

Bentsen Family Reading Night turned into a science lab experiment. Sharyland High School’s Physics Club was a special guest on our last Family Reading Night. Bentsen students created a lava lamp with the assistance of club members. Parents and students were very delighted to participate in the experiment. After creating lava lamps, the club members assisted students with reading or creating crafts.

by Josie Saldaña

Congratulations to our incredible Battle of the Books students who showcased their literary knowledge and teamwork in the local Battle of the Books competition! Their hard work and dedication earned them a spot in the Regional competition, where they continued to excel and secured a place among the top teams. The team was also able to meet two amazing middle grade authors - Pablo Cartaya and Karina Yan Glaser. Students were able to ask the authors questions, get books signed, and truly connect with the books in new ways. We are so proud of our students’ commitment and success—way to go Diamondbacks

by Nicole H. Cruz

Three Sharyland High School students submitted a letter to a poet, playwright or author for the state writing contest, Letters About Literature. Students Fernanda Palacios-Flores, Lily Ribera, and Charity Montoya participated in a Writing Workshop hosted by Mrs. Cruz to prepare for the contest. We are eager to hear the results sometime before or after Spring Break. Best of Luck to these young writers with much potential. The contest is sponsored by the Texas Center for the Book.

by Monica Silva

This week, at John H. Shary Elementary, we are celebrating Read Across America with exciting daily themes! Students are enthusiastically participating, dressing up, and engaging in fun literacy activities that promote a love for reading. The celebration continues throughout the week with themed days such as Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss, Books Are Magical (Disney Theme), Promote Nonfiction by Wearing a Shirt of a Place You Have Visited That You Have Read About, Rock Out with Reading, and Color Your World with Books. It’s a fantastic week of fun and learning as we celebrate the joy of reading!

by Denise Cirlos

B.L. Gray Junior High celebrated World Read Aloud Day with an exciting virtual experience! Students tuned into StoryVoice.com by Scholastic, where they had the opportunity to listen to authors and illustrators read their books and share insights about their creative process. It was a fantastic way to inspire a love for reading and storytelling!

by Wally Trevino

During the recent library redecoration, one wall was painted with chalkboard paint. While chalkboards may seem like a thing of the past, this addition has proven to be a valuable asset. The chalkboard wall allows the library to create a dynamic, customizable bulletin board.

A great example of its use is the annual Read Across America celebration, a day dedicated to honoring Dr. Seuss’s birthday and promoting reading. With the help of parent volunteers and SPTSO, we transformed the chalkboard wall into a stunning mural for the event.

Unlike a typical bulletin board, which measures around 34” x 48,” the library’s chalkboard wall stands over 10 feet tall and spans 19 feet in length. This expansive space provides a fantastic canvas to celebrate reading and Dr. Seuss’s legacy in a big way.

by Alma Paredes

Students at Shimotsu kicked off their week to celebrate reading by joining in a school Read-A-Thon. They were able to show their spirit by participating in dress-up days throughout the week. Students had an opportunity to read about different cultures and dress up to show their heritage. They came to school in PJs to cozy up and read, and even dressed up as their favorite Dr. Seuss character or any book character. It was a great week to embrace each other's differences and share in what unites us.

By: Thanya Montemayor

RHE was represented by two teams this year at the Battle of the Books! Our sixth grade team, won second place! Our RHE Book Dragons beat out the competition in the Junior Division and went on to win at Regionals!

by Patricia Ramos

Growing in experiences, friendships and knowledge are what it's all about. Students at DWE have not only grown in their reading this year but have also challenged themselves to grow by joining book clubs and UIL. Mrs. Ramos coached Ready Writing UIL and Battle of the Books. The students made friendships, and grew in new ways while reaping yummy rewards and recognition. Way to go!

by Josie Saldaña

What a fantastic evening at our Sharyland North Junior High open house! It was wonderful connecting with parents and sharing all the great things happening in the school library. One of the highlights of the night was our prize wheel—students and their siblings had a blast spinning for the chance to win free books, bookmarks, and school supplies! Seeing the excitement as families picked out a new book or a fun prize was truly heartwarming. Special thanks to all our Diamondback parents who stopped by our library table!

by Oneida Aleman

Family Reading Night at RD Martinez was a tremendous success! We were pleased to welcome special guests from the SHS Physics and Engineering Club. Our students had a fantastic time creating Valentine cards with circuits, combining creativity with science. Additionally, they engaged in reading and AR testing to achieve their goals.

A huge thank you to Mrs. Angie Culberson for consistently bringing her different club students to collaborate with ours. Their participation always leaves a lasting positive impact on our students.

by Elizabeth Moreno

To celebrate Women’s History Month, the PHS Library created a beautiful display to showcase biographies of famous women. The display is not only beautiful but serves as a visual tool for students to learn about the stories and achievements of important women in history. Hopefully all students will be inspired to blaze their own paths and pursue their dreams.

by Nicole H. Cruz

The SA3 Battle of the Books team advanced to Regional Competition on Friday, February 28th. The competition was held at the Edcouch Elsa Technology Center. Eighteen schools competed for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Students were able to get a book signed by visiting authors Francisco Stork and Margie Longoria. We are very proud of our team.

by Monica Silva

Students at John H. Shary Elementary participated in a special library lesson where they used Canva to create heartfelt digital Valentine's Day cards for their teachers. This engaging activity combined creativity and technology, allowing students to design personalized messages filled with gratitude and appreciation. Through this lesson, they not only expressed their thanks for their teachers' hard work and dedication but also developed valuable digital design skills in a fun and meaningful way.

"One for the Record Books" was recognized by the Texas Library Association for a PR Branding Iron Award in 2016. Submit photos and stories by the deadline each month to be included in "One for the Record Books." Please make sure any students are not on the "Do Not Photograph List" before submitting their photos for publication.

Email: ncruz@sharylandisd.org
Website: https://www.sharylandisd.org/departments/library_services
Location: 1216 North Shary Road, Mission, TX, USA
Phone: 956-580-5300
Twitter: @Cruz23Mac