Maria Pacheco, Guatemalan leader and Fulbright scholar to speak in the Library Learning Commons on November 2nd.

September 20, 2011 (Westport, Conn) — Maria Pacheco links Guatemalan artisans in indigenous rural communities to international markets, transforming cycles of poverty into cycles of prosperity and empowering women to be agents of change in their families, homes and communities.

Growing up in war-torn Guatemala City convinced Maria that she could ‘heal the earth’ by moving to the mountains and becoming an organic farmer. However, it wasn’t long before she found herself on a mission to bring prosperity to communities that others had long forgotten – desperately poor rural communities in which over 200,000 people were killed and tens of thousands were ‘disappeared’ during a 36-year civil war.

Maria saw the untapped potential and talent of Guatemala’s indigenous women, nearly half of whom are illiterate. She formed Kiej de los Bosques, an organization that works with expert artisans to develop their designs and expand their businesses, linking rural communities to markets around the world.
Currently a consultant for the [ http://www.unfoundation.org/ ]United Nations Foundation, Maria is developing a program that will generate sources of income for communities living in or around natural World Heritage Sites, while at the same time protecting the surrounding ecosystem.

She is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters degree in agriculture from Cornell University. Maria served as co-founder and first female president of the Guatemalan Rural Entrepreneurship Association (AGER), and is part of the Aspen Institute Global~Leadership Network, belonging to the Central American Initiative (CALI).~With other Aspen fellows, Maria launched the Vital Voices Central American Network,~to ensure that women’s voices in the region be heard.

Vital Voices Connecticut Council is honored to introduce Maria and her work in Guatemala on Wednesday evening, November 2, 7-9:00 pm at Christ and Holy Trinity Church, 75 Church Lane, Westport.

About Vital Voices: Vital Voices Global Partnership ([ http://www.vitalvoices.org/ ]www.vitalvoices.org) is an international non-profit organization that identifies, trains, mentors and empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the globe, enabling them to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities. The Connecticut Council of Vital Voices was established in 2005 to support the work of Vital Voices and raise awareness about their many programs and the remarkable women leaders of their global network.

Westport Elections Candidates Panel

Please come join us on Thursday, October 27, 2011 in the Library Learning Commons to hear the views of several Westport candidates for the November elections. Representing the Democratic party will be Janis Collins who is running for the Board of Finance and Michael Gordon who is running for the Board of Education. Representing the Republican Party will be Garson Heller who is running for the Board of Assessment Appeals and Tom Lasersohn who is running for the Board of Finance. You will have an opportunity to ask questions about the political process and their opinions. The panel will be held during the lunch waves. We hope to see you then.

Summer Reading 2011!!! Check it out (until September 12)!!!

SHS SUMMER READING LINKS

http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/staplesllc/SummerReading2011.html

Everything out now is due back by June 3rd.  If you still need a book for a particular class we will give permission to renew beyond June 3rd.

You can begin signing out books for Summer Reading now

and they will be due back on September 12, 2011.

Lots of great books from which to choose.  Double copies of most books. 

Come get yours today!

GET BOOKED

 FOR SUMMER 2011

Rouwenna Lamm from Alliance for Climate Education visits the LLC to speak about Student Action Programs

After a presentation to freshmen in the auditorium on Thursday, Rouwenna Lamm will be in the Library Learning Commons during lunch waves to meet with students and talk about promoting Student Action Programs. 

Rouwenna will be speaking about her work for the Alliance for Climate Education. 

Check out their website and see her bio below.
http://www.acespace.org/

Rouwenna Lamm is a Kentucky native with a B.A. in astronomy and physics from Smith College in Massachusetts. During high school and college, Rouwenna was interested in teen education and held a variety of positions educating youth about health, science, outdoor-living, and community development. She started working on climate change during her senior year in college after attending Power Shift 2007. Inspired by the youth and adults at the conference, she joined the newly formed Massachusetts Power Shift and planned a climate conference for hundreds of students and community members. She then helped the group transform into a network of student climate advocates pushing for legislative and social change to address climate change.

After college, Rouwenna took a 9-month internship with the Union of Concerned Scientists where she was working to connect scientists with policy makers and the public to increase climate education and push for legislative action to address climate change. She also helped produce reports on the impacts of climate change in the Midwest. Rouwenna is excited to join the ACE team and continue educating and empowering youth to fight for their futures.

AP Testing in LLC

As you know AP Testing is happening this week and next in the LLC.

First of all, we will not be hosting an Open Mic in May because of APs.

Secondly, we ask that when AP tests are happening that you study silently in the library so that the students taking tests can focus on their tests and not be disturbed.

On Thursday, May 12th, the library will be closed from 7:30 until 12:00 because AP testing will happen on the main floor of the library to accomodate the number of students taking the test that day.

Thanks for all your help in following these directions over the next two weeks.

Lunchertainment...Club Green celebrating Earth Day a little early on April 13th with Tobey Russ...during the three lunch waves!

Club Green is celebrating Earth Day a little early on April 13th

with a program in the Library Learning Commons
featuring Tobey Russ!

  We will all be enjoying a Spring Break vacation day
on April 22nd which is the actual Earth Day.

Come hear about Tobey Russ' really cool and green job!

     Tobey Russ - is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Forest First Holdings which is a private company developing large scale sustainable forestry plantations in Latin America. The company has established it’s initial plantation in the North Eastern plains region of Colombia on 70,000 hectares along the Meta and Orinoco rivers. As the plantation matures, wood will be shipped down river where it will be chipped and then shipped to electric utilities in the United Kingdom and in Europe as a source of renewable energy.

     Prior to joining Forest First Mr. Russ has held various senior management positions in the commercial insurance and financial services industry over the last 25 years.

     Mr. Russ will be speaking about the developing opportunities in "Eco-Capitalism" - how the private sector can help drive environmental improvement while making an attractive return on investment. Sustainable forestry is becoming an increasingly important, carbon neutral, fuel source which will also provide much needed social and economic benefits in developing countries. As forests disappear around the world and non-renewable energy prices continue to rise, forestry has become a very attractive investment option.

Please email or call to have your class come join us!

Thank you to all those involved in the Second Annual Celebration of Poetry and Jazz!

       

A big thank you goes out to the classes of Ms. Radler, Mr. Liepolt, Mr. Miller, Ms. Barrington, Mr. Tippy, Mr. Garaghty, Ms. Robbins, Ms. McNamee, Ms. Fernandez, Ms. Kochefko, Mr. Lawrence, Ms. Noonan and all the other free period students who participated by reading at the Second Annual Celebration of Poetry and Jazz on Friday.

  

An especially big thank you goes out to our Mr. Mariconda and SHS Jazz Band students: Danny Pravdel, Harry Zec, Mike Ljungberg, Brian Hershey, Austin Alianiello, Cole Manley, and Jon Loeb who did a fantastic job of sharing their musical talents with us on Friday. The best news is that all these jazz students are juniors and have already volunteered to play again next year at our third annual!

See lots more photos and videos on the LLC Flickr link (middle ot the LLC page!)

Second Annual Celebration of Poetry and Jazz...April 8th...All Day in the LLC!

Teachers...Click here to sign up your class to participate.

Students...Click here to sign up to participate during your free!

Second Annual Celebration of Poetry and Jazz...Friday, April 8th in the Library Learning Commons

 

Next Friday, April 8th, will be our

Second Annual Celebration of Poetry and Jazz! 

In the Library Learning Commons all day!

If you were here last year you know how well  the student poets

and student jazz musicians of Staples enjoyed the day.

We will have a visiting poet Erik Bloch and visitng jazz musician Alex Levin. 

Katie Lawrence, Staples graduate,  will be speaking about her new book "Hunger" and poetry therapy during the lunch waves.

Plan to join us! 

More info to follow!

Lunchertainment...Your Digital Footprint...Come find it! Friday, March 25th during lunch waves

Have you seen your digital footprint?  Do you know who is helping to create it?  Are you ready to  protect your identity as you begin to apply for college and start your freshman year?

Director of Instructional Technology, Natalie Carrignan, will provide you resources, tips, and tricks for revealing your footprint and keeping yourself safe.

Not just for juniors and seniors.  This is great info for all of us, staff as well!

Join us in the Library Learning Commons on Friday, March 25th, during lunch waves.

Gigi Sakir to speak on Egypt...this Friday, Feb 18th, during lunch waves

Gigi Sakir and her daughter, Giselle Begler, will speak to us about Egypt.  When Gigi was a little girl her family had to flee Egypt leaving everything behind. Giselle graduated from Staples in 2004.  Their family regularly travels back to Egypt.  They will have pictures to share, go over a bit of history, and put in their own words about why the situation in Egypt has come to what it is.  Gigi is prepared for your questions and will do her best to answer them.  According to Mrs. Ritter, our LLC Volunteer who set up this program, Gigi was practically dancing in the streets here in Westport when there was word that Mubarak was stepping down.

Come to hear about history in the making. Has Egypt started a domino effect in the region?

Amnesty International hosting Shabana Basij-Rasikh on Friday, Feb 4th

Please join us during lunch waves on Friday, February 4th to hear Shabana speak.

"Shabana was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan. She attended secret school during the Taliban regime, and after the fall of the Taliban she completed her secondary education at Maryam High School. In 2005, Shabana attended high school in the USA through the year-long Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program sponsored by the US State Department. Following her secondary school career, she worked as an Executive Assistant to the Country Director of American Councils for International Education in Kabul as a one year appointment. Shabana is the Executive Director of Afghan Youth Initiative. Shabana is a senior at Middlebury College, pursuing degrees in International Studies and Women and Gender Studies. She is a senior fellow at the Middlebury College Admissions Office."

Please check out her website.  http://helainc.org/team.php

Come prepared with questions you might want to ask her about her experiences.

John Green from Lux, Bond and Green...Lunchertainment...February 8th

Lunchertainment presents John Green from Lux, Bond and Green

on Tuesday, February 8^th during period 1, from 10:45– 11:50 a.m.

Have you ever wondered how a piece of jewelry is designed? Do you need ideas? And when you have your beautiful design then how do you market it? 

If all of this interests you come and listen to John Green.  John, graduated from Boston College as a Gemologist and is a certified gemologist appraiser, member of the American Gem Society and CEO of Lux, Bond and Green, which his great grandfather established in 1898.

He is looking forward to sharing his knowledge with you on this very interesting topic.

Open Mic rescheduled...January 28th...during lunch waves.

We have rescheduled the next Open Mic for Friday, January 28th, during the lunch waves.  The theme will be centered around Martin Luther King, Jr. and his "I have a dream" speech.  All poetry, short story reading, musical performances should try to focus on MLK, Jr. and his dream. 

Martin Luther King was a man who had a dream that his children "would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." What are your dreams for the future?

He learned about Ghandi and then saw a way to achieve his dream through peaceful civil disobedience.

So come to Open Mic with a dream of yours and/or the profile of someone who by example has changed your life and/or helped you set a path to reach your dream.