Vision
I will prepare students for life by advocating for the integration of 21st century skills in an environment that fosters competence and collaboration.
Mission
To empower learners to become lifelong users, seekers, and creators of information bridging the gap to acquire informational literacy skills enabling them to be productive learners and responsible citizens.
Achievements/Accomplishments
2021
Young Middle Magnet Diversity Educator of the Year.
Since the Media Center serves as the 'hub' of the school, it was the 'go to' place for any needs, whether a student, teacher or staff member. The home of STEM club, book club, poetry club, chess club, faculty meets, or just I was wondering.....
2020
National Education Association Grant Recipient
As winner of this grant, students and staff delved into surveys, trainings and book studies relating to diversity, seeking to gain better ways to communicate with each other. A culminating activity of school beautification wrapped up their work as students designed a garden in honor of a Science Coach lost during the Covid wars.
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EDUCATION
2021
University of South Florida
Masters of Arts in Library & Information Science
Introduction
In the beginning, I created an Elevator Speech with a tie to Ranganthan's Law of Library Science, that is how I began my process to evolve as a librarian. In that speech were words like cultural, competent, conscious. These 3 C's alone followed me through my journey as I took multicultural literature. Serving on the Black Caucus American Library Association book list committee led me to create diverse book lists with other school librarians. In turn, I became conscious of the need for a blog to share diverse books with the world. You will notice a blog as an addition to this site, representing the work that has become part of my journey. I am a product of my education.
2019
Presenter at Florida Association for Media In Education (FAME) Conference
Presenting on Diversify Your Shelves and Outreach on a Budget- this session featured strategies I use in my middle school to provide diverse reads in all classrooms across my school campus (see picture above)
Body
Preparing to receive my degree in Library in Science I'm reminded of my elevator speech and words like access, advocacy, and action research appear before my eyes. Advocating for diversity in the profession is barely off my lips as my latest paper for Library Admin posts as an artifact. Realizing I don't just advocate, but I am one in the number, one of the 5% of African American librarians pushing for access through action and sometimes using action research to reach the masses. My final course, Research Methods in Library & Information Science found me working with a group of colleagues to use action research and provide access to democratize science and engineering education for underrepresented minorities. So, the A's have it this time, as I secure my role of a competent librarian through works by the fruits of my own labor, I am reminded of Carla Hayden's quote, "Libraries are a cornerstone of democracy.." 14th Librarian of Congress.