Event to be May 5 at Barnes and Noble
Allentown, PA (April 29, 2016) Twenty-seven Lehigh Parkway Elementary School students will be celebrated as young authors at a “Meet the Author” event on May 5 at Barnes and Noble, Lehigh Valley Mall. The event, where our young authors will show off their books and speak about their writing journey, begins at 6:00 p.m.
Under the guidance of teacher Donald Stahl, the students have spent many hours penning their own book. The end result is 24 individual books created by 27 students – 12 third graders, 12 fourth graders and 3 fifth graders. The students and their books, which were printed by Dan’s Camera, will be honored at this event. Stahl created the “I am on a Bookshelf” program for students with funding from an ASD Foundation Teacher Innovation Grant.
“This has been an incredible experience for these students. They had the opportunity to go through the process of developing a book from concept to finished product; learning from each step along the way,” explains Will Seng, Principal of Lehigh Parkway. Adding, “Mr. Stahl’s idea took flight and brought together members of the community in support of our student endeavor. Now, they’ll be treated as true authors at an event just for them.”
Dan’s Camera of Allentown stepped forward and printed the book to provide each student will receive a complimentary copy as a memento of their efforts. Barnes and Noble is hosting the author night as part of their corporate mission. Each year, Barnes and Noble hosts more than 28,000 author events across the country for authors to gain exposure and build their profiles in local communities. Also contributing to the success of this initiative is Lisa Schaffer for her work in making the “Author Wall” at Lehigh Parkway; Kathya Arias for getting the student pictures organized for their VIP badges; the parents/guardians of the students involved who raised over $400 to offset costs. The school’s fundraising goal is $600 which will cover each author and one guest in the Barnes & Noble “Green Room” – to enjoy a personal pizza & a Lehigh Parkway themed Frappuccino. Additionally, local author Kathy Miller, will speak at the “Meet the Author” event to enlighten students on becoming authors.
The event is FREE and open to the public.
About Allentown School District
ASD serves more than 16,000 students in a network of 22 early childhood, elementary, middle and high schools located throughout the City of Allentown, PA. The Allentown School District is the third largest urban school district out of 500 districts in the Commonwealth. A shared vision of the community, parents, guardians, staff and faculty focuses on “Empowering Students for Life,” providing ASD students with the skills and academics they need to realize their aspirations whether they be college, career or technical focus. ASD goals are aligned and compatible with the Pathways to Success Framework while providing a balanced education to all students. Allentown School District employs approximately 2,200 teachers, staff and administrators. The District, founded in 1866 and celebrating its Sesquicentennial throughout 2015-2016, serves students from 43 countries speaking 26 languages with nearly 90 percent of households qualifying as low income. ASD is committed to providing safe learning environments in which all students have equal access to education programs and resources.
Information provided by:
Kimberly Golden Benner
Director of Communications
Allentown School District
