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Tornado Destroys Middle School in Mena, Arkansas When CLN member Nikki Grimes visited the middle school in Mena, Arkansas in early April 2009, she had no foreshadowing that a tornado would devastate the town only nine days later. Three people lost their lives. One thousand homes were destroyed. The middle school Nikki had visited was leveled. "In Mena, as many as 300 seventh- and eighth-graders will attend classes at an old middle school in Hatfield, and about 165 sixth-graders will go to Dallas Avenue Baptist Church for the remaining six weeks of the school year, said Debra Parnell, administrative assistant to the superintendent." —Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Although much of the library collection survived, their classroom book collections were all lost. Nikki encourages you to help them rebuild their middle school classroom collections with book donations, whatever you might send in the way of new or very gently used books that would interest middle school students. Donations may be sent to: Jimma HolderLiteracy Specialist Mena Public Schools 501 Hickory Mena, AR 71953 |
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500 Brushes I visit schools throughout the United States. One of the most troubling problems I see is the disparity between poorly funded and abundantly funded schools. Art seems to suffer most, even in fairly wealthy neighborhoods. In my home state of Washington, it is rare to find an art teacher in an elementary school. And when art is missing, kids simply do not learn as well and certainly stumble when others flourish with arts in their midst. 500 BRUSHES is a project aimed at calling attention to the lack of art education. I'm asking picturebook illustrators and other artists to donate USED paintbrushes.Each time I receive 500 brushes, I will bundle them up and donate them along with other art supplies to an underserved school. This may be a small step, but it can begin to call attention to the importance of art. It can also begin to build small art centers and art rooms in elementary schools. Thanks for your help! 500 BRUSHES |
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