Glassboro H.S. unites entire community through ‘One Book’
Glassboro students, staff and community members are on the same page after participating in a new school-led reading program aimed at promoting local literacy.
The One Book program was a summer reading initiative started by Glassboro High School where the community was encouraged to read a book titled “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls.
The novel chronicles the author’s life as she deals with living in poverty, mental illness, alcoholism of a family member and her journey to find herself.
Glassboro High School hosted a coffee house discussion on the book Oct. 6 in the high school library. It was open to members of the school and community.
High school English department chair Lynn Hartman and school staff members started the program as a way to promote reading and literary discussion throughout Glassboro. School students and staff were not required to participate, but were encouraged to do so.
“The idea has been adopted by other towns, and we liked the idea of building a community of readers with a shared book. We went outside the walls of the school and extended free books this summer,” Hartman said After reading the books, students and community members were encouraged to return them or pass one of the approximately 200 books provided along to another interested reader. Hartman reported that all copies of the book were distributed to readers throughout the summer.
Hartman is considering running the program again next year. Last summer students read books throughout the summer months that were either chosen individually or from a suggested summer reading list.
Students who attended the coffee house were eligible to receive extra credit in their English classes.
“The goal of the program is to promote literacy, encourage students to share books, and for students to learn about and have empathy for a culture other than their own,” Hartman said.
Hartman thinks the book’s contemporary themes of parenting, mental illness, substance abuse and social issues proved to be a meaningful and compelling read. “This woman overcomes amazing obstacles to reach her dream of becoming a writer. It’s important for students to understand and gain compassion for others undergoing the same obstacles,” Hartman said.
Hartman chose the book because she felt it would be a good cross-generational read for teen students, parents and grandparents in Glassboro.
“This really got people talking who normally wouldn’t interact otherwise. It also got people to read. Maybe now they will become lifelong readers or join a book club,” Hartman said.
To advertise the summer reading project, the district posted information on a billboard in front of the high school and on the school’s Web page and sent home flyers with students.
Glassboro High School history teacher Karmin Humes assigned his night school ninth through twelfth-grade students to read the book as a required assignment.
The night school classes, held at Glassboro from 3 to 7:30 p.m. are reserved for students who have unexcused absences.
Humes talked about the book in class to students and required them to answer questions about the themes and plot of the book. To his delight, he noticed a number of students took interest in the book.
“For my students, it gives them the idea that things aren’t as bad as they thought they were. In the book, they see an individual who has a tough life and how she gets through it,” Humes said.
Humes thinks some of the students in the class may not read regularly unless they are required to do so and was pleased they enjoyed the experience.
“Some kids didn’t think they would like it,” said Humes, “and, once they started reading, they were really into the book.”
The One Book program was a summer reading initiative started by Glassboro High School where the community was encouraged to read a book titled “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls.
The novel chronicles the author’s life as she deals with living in poverty, mental illness, alcoholism of a family member and her journey to find herself.
Glassboro High School hosted a coffee house discussion on the book Oct. 6 in the high school library. It was open to members of the school and community.
High school English department chair Lynn Hartman and school staff members started the program as a way to promote reading and literary discussion throughout Glassboro. School students and staff were not required to participate, but were encouraged to do so.
“The idea has been adopted by other towns, and we liked the idea of building a community of readers with a shared book. We went outside the walls of the school and extended free books this summer,” Hartman said After reading the books, students and community members were encouraged to return them or pass one of the approximately 200 books provided along to another interested reader. Hartman reported that all copies of the book were distributed to readers throughout the summer.
Hartman is considering running the program again next year. Last summer students read books throughout the summer months that were either chosen individually or from a suggested summer reading list.
Students who attended the coffee house were eligible to receive extra credit in their English classes.
“The goal of the program is to promote literacy, encourage students to share books, and for students to learn about and have empathy for a culture other than their own,” Hartman said.
Hartman thinks the book’s contemporary themes of parenting, mental illness, substance abuse and social issues proved to be a meaningful and compelling read. “This woman overcomes amazing obstacles to reach her dream of becoming a writer. It’s important for students to understand and gain compassion for others undergoing the same obstacles,” Hartman said.
Hartman chose the book because she felt it would be a good cross-generational read for teen students, parents and grandparents in Glassboro.
“This really got people talking who normally wouldn’t interact otherwise. It also got people to read. Maybe now they will become lifelong readers or join a book club,” Hartman said.
To advertise the summer reading project, the district posted information on a billboard in front of the high school and on the school’s Web page and sent home flyers with students.
Glassboro High School history teacher Karmin Humes assigned his night school ninth through twelfth-grade students to read the book as a required assignment.
The night school classes, held at Glassboro from 3 to 7:30 p.m. are reserved for students who have unexcused absences.
Humes talked about the book in class to students and required them to answer questions about the themes and plot of the book. To his delight, he noticed a number of students took interest in the book.
“For my students, it gives them the idea that things aren’t as bad as they thought they were. In the book, they see an individual who has a tough life and how she gets through it,” Humes said.
Humes thinks some of the students in the class may not read regularly unless they are required to do so and was pleased they enjoyed the experience.
“Some kids didn’t think they would like it,” said Humes, “and, once they started reading, they were really into the book.”
