Hit: Teen Programming

[Belinda Pope <BePope@AOL.COM>]

Sorry it took me so long to post this hit!  Some of these ideas came from the
PUBYAC listserv also:

>>> Belinda Pope <BePope@AOL.COM> 06/01/00 09:22PM >>>
   I really need to hear from the Secondary Media Specialists who have had
success in scheduling programs/presentations that attracted teens (really
ages 11-19).  I am working in a Part Time grant position this summer and my
focus is to schedule any types of programming in public libraries that will
draw the teenagers.  If you have any great ideas, please send them directly
to me.

Hit:
I will be teaching a class on webpage building at Overbrook Park Lilbrary in
Philadelphia, PA for teens (and for the first time).

My plan is to have each student creat a page on travel spots he likes or
researches.  Then I want to link all of the pages to my page, so it functions
like a website.

I hope this will interest the teens and give them the satisfaction of
creating
a resource that is useful to the community and of which they can be proud.

It also gets around the problem of topic choice (parent approval of topic).


**************************************************************************


Our kids really like it when the school runs coffee houses.  This includes
music, poetry and literature readings and time for them to get up and read
their own work.

They are a lot of work, but the kids love them.


I have several programming ideas that have worked well for our lmc.  We had a
series of "theme" days under our former principal.  We had a Space Day, a
Photography Day, a Pioneer Day, and the most popular of all, a Large and
Small Animal Day.

Also, one year I sponsored an "Ugly Knees Contest."  I photographed kids"
knees and had a paper bag with their names.  People voted by dropping money
in the sack. At the end of the contest, the winner received an "Ugly Knee
Award.'

I also had an impersonations contest one year. The students adopted the
persona of a favorite character from film or television and acted in a talent
show. It was hysterical!

We also have a Brown Bag speaker program in our school.  I invite a speaker
to come talk to our students. Each student receives a brown bag with a treat.
 The bag is decorated with thematically-related items.  It has been highly
successful.


We are just starting to "care" about teens at this library and other staff
are really in charge of those programs, but I would like to pass on the idea
of a Yoga program. There are several tie-in videos and books.

 I set up a beginning Yoga class for children 7-12 years old and "Yoga
Animals" because yoga poses are related to animal poses in general. I have
had a lot of teenagers want to sign up and all the high school pages that
work here said they wanted to attend.

I feel that if I changed the name and the focus, I would have the perfect
teen program.  (for mostly girls, although younger boys are signing up)



I am a youth services libraian in Pennsylvania and have done
some YA stuff for the past year or so.  Our teens are very vocal about not
wanting to do anything that is too much like school, so discussion groups
and such are not good ideas for us.  They mostly like programs were they can
try new things and make things.  We've done design you own t-shirt: they
bring the shirt, we provide materials, including tie dyeing.  Mask making,
this gets very messy but fun.  We do a gingerbread making day around the
holidays.  I am a medieval re-enactor, so we do some demonstrations for the
YA's once a year.  Your local chapter of the Society for Creative
Anachronism can help you with that.  Any more ideas, let me know, we're
running out!

Have fun!



Tonight I'm hosting a session with a local hairdresser who'll talk about
different hairstyles, etc. I've got twenty girls signed up, and there were
more who were interested.

We also had some success with a mystery in the library program.


This summer we have the following programs for teens

Salsa dance workshop
Kickboxing
tie-dye
tarot cards - history, the art and a reading
Interview skills and resume writing
Rubber stamp design
cartooning
We also have a kick-off concert featuring local bands.  A DJ from the hot=
 radio station will emcee!




We've had great success with poetry nights for 4th and 5th graders, and for
high school students.  Asked a popular teacher who plays the guitar to host
the high school group- it was a big hit, and some students brought their
guitars and sang also.  I can send you more details if this is the age group
you are looking for.  The younger kids had their poetry teacher as a host,
and their families came.  We displayed the poetry in the library.



Since I have already started my programming...here's what has been very
successful so far!  I have had one Harry Potter program and am having another
July 6th. I also scheduled a "Champion Chess Instructor" for two nights (one
for beginners/one for more advanced) and this has attracted all age levels!
We had very good turnouts!

Thanks!
Belinda

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