After debuting the #SCASDReads campaign last year to acclaim, the State College Area School District K-12 library department has brought it back to resounding success.
Last year’s campaign, an expansion of the annual #StateHighReads campaign, focused on books about two notable Appalachian Trail hikers, Derick Lugo and Grandma Gatewood. This year’s theme, “You Matter,” is also the title of the highlighted book by Christian Robinson, whose award-winning New York Times bestseller celebrates seeing the world from different perspectives, with the message that everyone is connected and everyone matters.
“The social and emotional needs of our students have been exceptionally apparent this school year, but students and staff are excited to latch onto something positive and spread the word: You matter,” a department release stated.
For the past two weeks, proof of the campaign’s popularity has been decorating walls and windows in district schools. In addition to reading the book and, in elementary schools, receiving a special lesson that includes a video made by district librarians, students have been filling out “You Matter” postcards. Each card is divided into two halves, one for sending a message to a special person and the other with the person’s name to be attached to displays in each district building. State High building construction students made wooden frame displays for the campaign.
“I like the districtwide aspect of SCASDReads where we can focus on age-appropriate books but still work towards a common theme,” Park Forest Middle School librarian and co-organizer Katherine Billet said. “This year, the universal You Matter message allows all of us at the middle level to share the You Matter postcards but also promote middle school books with themes of inclusion and diversity.”
On Friday, May 6, a districtwide spirit week — with each day dedicated to an affirmation and a corresponding outfit theme — will culminate with an exhibition of the building displays at The Makery 5:30-8 p.m. as part of the First Friday events. Thousands of cards will be shown, similar to the First Night State College New Year’s resolutions, and the public will have a chance to complete their own You Matter declarations.
“It’s not just stopping and thinking who matters to you, but actually taking time to acknowledge it, to actually make sure people know,” said Corl Street Elementary librarian Paije Davis, a campaign co-organizer. “Our mental health ties so much into that message.”
State High librarian and co-organizer Mark Morath said students have taken the lead in publicizing the campaign at the high school. When SCASD Reads kicked off in the high school in early April, he reached out on a Friday afternoon to all the school club presidents. By Monday, he had heard back from half of the presidents expressing their eagerness to distribute the You Matter cards.
“Which screamed to me how students were hungry to make this be heard,” Morath said. “They asked for it, and they did it.”
Subsequently, the State High Thespians, the State High HOME Office (center for equity and mental health support staff) and all of the spring sports teams threw in their support, filling out cards and helping to publicize the campaign. The State High WSCH Morning Broadcast team decided to sign off its daily announcements with You Matter promos.
Gray’s Woods Elementary librarian and co-organizer Libby Snyder said a synergy between elementary and secondary levels helped the campaign take off. Elementary children, she said, responded in droves because they saw the bigger kids care. In turn, that response has motivated older grades even further.
“The thing I love is the K-12 buy-in,” Snyder said. “If it was just at elementary or secondary, that would be fine, but it’s the K-12 thing that makes it so impactful. It’s been neat to watch.”
Morath said “the enthusiasm has been really outstanding,” and Davis would agree.
“The librarians want to thank everyone, from administrators to faculty to parents to the kids,” she said. “Everyone has embraced it and helped spread it. To watch it spreading like wildfire is so satisfying and wonderful.”
