Authors and Artists Series: Patricia McCormick visits Bronx Hope

Patricia McCormick visits Bronx Hope's school library.  Photo credit:  Allison Trevaskis

On Monday, February 13th, two-time National Book Award finalist, author, Patricia McCormick met with multiple groups of students at the Bronx Hope library.  The students impressed Ms. McCormick with their thoughtful questions about her books Never Fall Down, Sold, and I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World.

We are appreciative of Ms. McCormick for her unwavering support of all readers and writers across Passages Academy and her generosity of spending so much of her day with our readers. Thank you to Literacy for Incarcerated Teens for making the day possible through their donation of books and the movie, Sold. --Allison Trevaskis

Authors and Artists Series: Patricia McCormick visits Belmont

On Tuesday, December 20th, award-winning author Patricia McCormick visited with two groups of readers inside Belmont’s school library.  The first group, comprised of young men and women residing at Boys Town sites, prepared with their ELA teacher, Ms. Ernyey, by reading I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World.  The second group, comprised of young men residing at two different SCO sites as well as a Martin DePorres site, prepared with their ELA teachers, Ms. Nadel and Mr. Villaronga, by reading Never Fall Down.  Both groups read and discussed the respective texts, both heavily researched by Patricia McCormick, and drafted their own questions to ask the research-oriented author.  

All of us are grateful to Ms. McCormick for her generosity with her time and talent, as well as the beloved titles and enduring understandings she has made possible through her writing, and to Literacy for Incarcerated Teens for generously purchasing copies of both books for all of the participating students, faculty, and staff. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Programming Spotlight: Fly at the New Victory Theater

Last week, students in the Lutheran group attended a performance of Fly at the New Victory Theater.  The play dramatizes the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and cleverly includes a dance griot, a role filled by the extraordinary Omar Edwards.  New Victory Teaching Artists Chad Beckim and Janet Onyenucheya, remarkable artists in their own right, visited the following day to debrief with the students, who turned out to be full of questions about stagecraft, military service, and world politics.  Many thanks to Literacy for Incarcerated Teens for crucial funding that made this trip possible, and The New Victory Theater for providing us with access to this extremely worthwhile show.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

photo credit: The New Victory Theater

Get your tickets now! Biblioball 2010: Spellbound

You won't want to miss this! On Saturday, December 4th, The Desk Set is having a huge dance party at the Bell House in Brooklyn to raise money for Literacy for Incarcerated Teens. For those of you who don't know, LIT funds all kinds of literacy initiatives for incarcerated and detained youth, including library collections and author programs. Please come and support this amazing organization!

Watch an invitation to the event that Time Out New York made a critic's pick here: http://vimeo.com/16865892

Buy your tickets now: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/136130

A special discount applies for Passages' teachers -- get in touch with Anne, Anja or Jessica for the secret code.

We'd love to see you all there.