MARCH 1 - 5, 2010, EDUCATION WEEK!

Kenneth Oppel

The Central Okanagan Teacher-Librarians' Association (COTLA) is proud to be bringing award-winning author Kenneth Oppel to Kelowna for Education Week 2010 (March 1-5).  During the week more than 4400 students in School District 23 (elementary to senior secondary) will have an opportunity to see, hear and interact with Mr. Oppel.

Oppel has written more than two dozen books.  While some are for young readers, he's best known for his fantasy writing for young adults—Silverwing, Sunwing, Firewing, Darkwing, Airborn, Skybreaker, Starclimber, etc.  He's won dozens of literary awards, including:  the Governor General's Award for Children's Literature, Los Angeles Times Book Award, CLA (Canadian Library Association) Children's Book Award, and the Mr. Christie's Book Award.    

Most of Oppel's presentations will take place at the Kelowna Community Theatre, with a special session also happening right in our own school gym on Thursday March 4th at 2:15.  Oppel's presentations typically last an hour and are followed by questions, answers and autographing of books.  We have a limited number of AIRBORN books for sale at the school for $10 each. Interested students may purchase these in our library while supplies last.  For more information on Kenneth Oppel you can visit his website at:  www.kennethoppel.ca.

The Central Okanagan Teacher-Librarians' Association is also sponsoring a FREE evening presentation so that the Kelowna community at large can hear Mr. Oppel.  The evening session with will take place Thursday, March 4 at the Kelowna Community Theatre starting at 7:00 p.m.  There's no need to sign up for this event, just come to the theatre.  Interested people are encouraged to bring family, friends and colleagues.  This special event is one of COTLA's ways of highlighting the importance and interconnectedness of school lilbraries, teacher-librarians, reading and literacy.

Special thanks go out to the generous sponsors in our community who have helped to make this event possible:  Capri Insurance and Harmony Honda. For our school presentation we are also grateful for support from parents for our cultural event funding.


This message was forwarded from Mr. James Gillett for COTLA, with OKM details added by Ms. Susan Neilson. OKM students are welcome to add positive comments about your own experiences reading Mr. Oppel's books. Maybe he will get a chance to read your feedback! 

FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

We will be welcoming a very special guest to our library on Monday February 15th at 2:00 p.m.

Mairuth Hodge Sarsfield was born in Montreal. She started her career as a journalist, working later as a research writer in Paris and as an on-camera host for CBC, CTV, TVO and PBS. Ms. Sarsfield was the Canadian Pavilion theme co-ordinator for Expo '70 in Japan. She was an information officer fot the Department of External Affairs, and an Associate Director with the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, developing the "For Every Child a Tree" campaign.

Mairuth was awarded the Chevalier a L'Ordre National du Quebec, for cultural creativity in 1985.

In 2005, her award winning book No Crystal Stair was on the Canada Reads Shortlist. A copy was purchased for our school library, five years ago.

She is listed in "Who's Who in Canada" and "Who's Who in Black Canada."

Now retired from public service, Mairuth is living on Vancouver Island, and working on two more books.

On February 15th, this amazing woman is coming to our school! She will be visiting during break and then speaking in the library during period 8.