Happy Earth Day!

Join the Green Teens at
Sustainable Highland Park's
Earth Day Extravaganza

Tonight, April 22
6 - 9 pm in the High School Cafeteria

Games, crafts, films, workshops

Will post photos of the event tomorrow!

Hope to see you there!

Michelle

Meet me - Monday April 20th 7 pm

Meeting Monday night April 20th!
7 pm
Food will be served.

Anyone who has an interest in helping with

Expresso
Green Teens - Earth Day!
Film Club
Highland Park 5K Race
Book Sale/Swap
Free Comic Book/Retro Game Day
Summer Reading Art Workshops
Book Buddies
Book Discussion/Parties/Author Talks
Anything

....be there, please.

Happy Holidays to those celebrating!
Enjoy your traditions
I'll be making pizzelles and la fiadone

Michelle

What's Happening?

I'm baaaaack and planning teen events for spring and summer!

Here's what's scheduled so far:

April 22
Sustainable Highland Park Earth Day Extravaganza!
Wed, April 22 at 6 pm
Community Room HPHS

I will have a table set up where will we do a children's craft.
I need teen volunteers! Call, email or stop by and see me if you can help.
We will be making pocketbooks and wallets out of old playing cards. Very cute and oh so practical! Who couldn't use on old/new purse or wallet?!
We will meet one afternoon to make some samples....see me.

May 2
Free Comic Books and Retro Game Day
2 pm

I challenge you to a jump rope contest. How many jumps can YOU do?
Beware, I have been practicing. And I can do one trick ;) Worth stopping by to see - maybe.
We will also have yo-yos, slinkies, kazoos, jacks and other retro toys to play with.
And Fallout Shelter from New Brunswick will be giving away FREE Comic Books
Raffle prizes and maybe some Bugles - remember those?

May 17th
Sunday 8 am
First Annual Highland Park 5k!!!!!
Honoring Riki Jacobs

We need runners, volunteers and spectators!

To register - visit here:
http://www.therunningcompany.net/hp5k/

To volunteer contact me and I will put you in touch with the volunteer coordinator.!

Library Book Sale and Swap
May 16/17th
Book sale is Sat and Sunday at the library during library hours.

Teen Book swap will take place at the Street Fair on the 17th.
Starting at Noon. Bring some books to trade. More details later.

Expresso
Teen Magazine
Wednesday afternoons in May
3 pm
May 6, 13, 20, 27

We need writers, artists and editors!
See me or show up at a meeting
I'll remind you
Issue needs to be out in June before end of school

Ciao a tutti!

Michelle

March Madness

Lots of good stuff in March - including my birthday!! Lucky you (and lucky me!), I won't be in town for it. But, I will be in town for...

Get On Your Feet
Improv Class, Sunday March 8th at 2 pm - Ages 13 and up
George Street Playhouse will be here to lead us through a class that will bring out your inner "Whose Line is it Anyway?". A very fun afternoon, I promise.

This event is part of Family Week at the Theatre, a program of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, co-sponsored by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Discover Jersey Arts

Sign up online, call or just show up.

http://www.hpplnj.org
732 572-2750

Teen Advisory Group Meeting, Monday, March 9th 7 pm
All are welcome. Provide input and help plan programs for Highland Park's teens.
Also give input on which books and other materials you think teens would be interested in.
Help...it's fun and we always have refreshments and nice participants.
Community service hours can be earned.

Topics to discuss:
Earth Day
Summer Reading - art theme
Book Swap
Volunteer Opportunities
Coraline/Neil Gaiman Party?
What else?

Inkheart Party, Monday March 16th, 7 pm
All things Inky. Games, Prizes, refreshments.
Sign up online, call or just show up.
http://www.hpplnj.org/teens
732 572-2750

Earth Day, April 22, 6 - 9 pm HS Cafeteria
Sustainable Highland Park Earth Day 2009 Extravaganza!

We will be participating in the first annual Sustainable Highland Park Earth Day Extravaganza.
We will be joined by other local businesses and community groups that embody the five goals of the Highland Park Green Plan: Healthy People, Healthy Environment, Strong Community, Convenient Transportation and Fairness & Equity. We need to identify one or more sustainable goals we want to showcase to the community at our Earth Day event.

More info to follow after our Teen Advisory Meeting on March 16th

Expresso, Teen Magazine
Look for info after the 16th of March. We will be publishing a May/June issue.


Good stuff...be at something.

Peace, Michelle

2nd Annual Teen Film Festival!

Mark your calendars!
The Highland Park Teen Film Festival
will take place in two weeks!

February 8th at 2 pm.

Come see what local teens have created for your entertainment. Local teens have been filming around town and you'll see local talent featured in the films! We also have some top-notch entries from Rutgers Prep and Rutgers University students.

A Q & A with the film makers will follow each feature. Don't miss the opportunity to provide encouragement and constructive criticism to these budding artists. They look forward to your feedback.

We hope to see you there.

In the meantime, we will be hard at work finishing up. Yes, we can!

Michelle

Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Now I must see the movie to see what they invented from 20 pages of a short story by Fitzgerald.

Someone else please read it. We have it in a collection of short stories.
Stop by to talk to me about i t- but give me a chance to see the movie. Is living life backwards better or worse? How does your perspective influence your answer?

I am fascinated by books to movies right now.
Slumdog Millionaire is based on a book called Q&A. Also, out now Revolutionary Road, The Reader...read the book first and then see the movie. I could never do it the other way around.

Speaking of books to movies we will have some more books to movie themed parties.
The Twilight party was so fun we decided to keep it going with Tale of Desperaux and Inkheart.
Look for more info - both will be in March so get reading and see the movies if you get a chance.
All ages welcome.

Cheers,

Michelle

Teen Film Festival Fast Approaching! And books...

Sunday, Feb 8th at 2 pm!

We are in high gear; filming, editing, rounding up other submissions, creating the t-shirts, programs....lots to do! We want it to be good and we hope you come out to see what some of our local teens have been able to do with a camera and in most cases, a little help from their friends.


And...reading lots of good books in the meantime. This is my most recent list of books consumed....would recommend them all...Check them out in our catalog. What are you reading?

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

This is What I did by Ann Ellis

Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Someday this Pain Will be Useful to You by Peter Cameron

Paper Towns by John Green

Book of A Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

The Luxe and Rumors by Godbersen

On the Pile...

Hunger Games by Collins
Madapple by Meldrum
Absolute Brightness by Lecesne
Tomorrow by Graham Swift (adult)
Space Between Us (adult)
Graceling by Cashore
Inkdeath by Funke
Let it Snow - 3 holiday romances by Green, Johnson and Lauren Myracle

Also - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It's only 24 pages long. I'll return it tomorrow - must read before subjecting myself to Brad Pitt as man-baby....not sure I'm ready. Love the idea of living life backwards! Silly me, I thought it was my idea. Great minds....

Aloha!!

2008, If I had to sum it up...Bittersweet

I have a deeper understanding of the meaning. If you do not, look it up. It's a good word to know. Sort of a one word oxymoron. Now you can look that up also ;)

Let's hope 2009 is just plain sweet. I've got plans to make sure of it. This helps, I think.

We'll start with our Teen Film Festival in February. Festival will be Feb 11th at 2 pm. Be there to see what we've created. Next year it will take place in the summer- the weather is working against us.
We will meet Monday evening Jan 5 and 12th. Filming Sunday the 11th at 1:30 at library.


Our next most important event will be a Teen Advisory Club Meeting - all of you interested in books, programs, fund raising and socializing - be there. Send me an email if you are reading this and not already on my list and getting updates from me. I'll let you know when it will be. Probably after school one day.

Just for fun...
What did you resolve to do in the new year?
Drink more water? Read more books? Eat more fruit? Save more money/spend less money? Be nicer? Which reminds me of my favorite quote from 2008. I think it will be very relevant for 2009....take it to heart. It won't cost you a penny, so I predict a great return on your investment.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Peace,

Michelle

What do you do at a Twilight Party?

Do what I did - ask Jacqueline- she had the best ideas! Thanks JF!
Fran and Charlie were great partners in "party"...many thanks to both of you.

5o of you Twi-hards showed up! Thank YOU!

And - A special to The Friends who sponsored the party for us. You gotta love our Friends!



We decorated the room



























We made chocolate chess pieces, vampire bites, werewolf nibbles and Bella's Punch







The pins were a huge hit
My fav:
"Sorry I only date boys who sparkle"

Check out the other pins available at www. zazzle.com



We played the Twilight:Person, place or thing game

Am I edible?

Am I human?

Am I a mushroom ravioli?
Yesssss......!


We added some sparkle
- and some fangs








We "bob"bed for apples

and he shares the secret-
Go for the stem!




We couldn't stump anyone with trivia questions - Team Alice won on the car race tie breaker.
No pictures of the car races?
Picture....matchbox car - propelled by blowing through a straw! Hilarious...you had to be there



Everyone got a pin and some lucky Twi-hards won prizes!







And...had lots of very lively discussions:

Edward or Jacob? It's Jacob for me, but Edward's made some inroads since the movie. No dog pun intended

Which character would you be?

What if you could be a new character? What would be your backstory - where and when did you live - how did you "die"?

And who knows what conversations went on without me?!!

It was great fun and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.

Look for more photos in our online photo gallery
http://www.hpplnj.org/gallery/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2025


~Alice

It's Twilight Time!

A little game to get you in the mood....party Monday Dec 8th at 7 pm
Come dressed up - or we'll add some sparkle for you!

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

I'm an ESME

You are thoughtful and care very deeply for your family. A loving home is of great

importance to you and you always try to make people feel welcome. Although you have a great capacity to love, you also have a great capacity to hurt, so at times you can be

sensitive. You're firm when you need to be, but people trust your judgment and

appreciate the kind way you always handle things.

I love me!
Who are you?

Thanks Giving

Points to ponder...

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.

~ H. U. Westermayer

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

~ Melodie Beattie

On a lighter note - some books to enjoy over the break...I am reading them for the next Garden State Book Awards list (6th - 8th grade fiction) If you read any, please pass along your feedback.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
A re-telling of a little known Grimms fairy tale. Dashti, the mucker maid and her lady are sentenced to 7 years in a tower because her lady refuses to marry the evil Lord. Dashti eventually leads Lady Saran to the land of her true love, where the 2 work as kitchen maids until they can figure out how to reveal themselves. Better than Twilight ;) !

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer
Thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod really hates junior high. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: He’s being hunted by a vampire killer.

Beastly by Alex Flinn
A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form. I love the "chat room" bits. Good humor throughout.

Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
When twelve-year-old Stephanie inherits her weird uncle's estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from the Faceless Ones.

Miss Spitifre: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller
A fictional account based on fact. At age twenty-one, partially-blind, lonely but spirited Annie Sullivan travels from Massachusetts to Alabama to try and teach six-year-old Helen Keller, deaf and blind since age two, self-discipline and communication skills. Includes historical notes and timeline. Loved this one- a must read for Helen Keller fans like me.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt
During the 1967 school year, on Wednesday afternoons when all his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood stays in Mrs. Baker's classroom where they read the plays of William Shakespeare and Holling learns much of value about the world he lives in. Next on my list - can't wait!!

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~ Marcel Proust

Your vote is important!

Too young for the Presidential election but juuuust right for the

Garden State Teen Book Awards!

Choose your favorite titles in 3 categories, 6-8th grade fiction, High School fiction and Non-fiction

Pick up a ballot in the Young Adult room of the library and give it to Mrs Reasso at the Reference Desk.

Students can also vote online at
http://www.bccls.org/teens/gstba/2009 .

To download and print the ballot, go to:
http://www.njla.org/honorsawards/ .

Please vote for as many titles as you like. The winning author will be invited to speak at an awards luncheon in the spring. Maybe we can even get a teen author talk - depends on who wins - tell us who you would like it to be!

Please put your name and number on the ballot - Some voters will win free books!

Good Luck and thanks for exercising your right to vote.


Those who stay away from the election think that one vote will do no good: 'Tis but one step more to think one vote will do no harm.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

HP Meadows Project - Green Teens/Film Club

Partnerships - that's what we need for the Green Teens HP Meadows Project to succeed. I'd love to see us accomplish this but we need help and I think we can find it here in Highland Park.

What is our HP Meadows Project?
The HP environmental Commission is working on restoring a wooded area of HP. The area used to be a dump and has been left to fend for itself. It is full of non-native invasive plants and overgrown weeds etc. It is called HP Meadows and is located at the bottom of South 5th Avenue near DPW. You can see they have already cleared some trails and are busy working thru the nice weather to get as far as they can before the cold weather sets in.

Green Teens would like to take on a piece of that restoration project. We have identified a plot of land that we are going to clear of non-native invasive plants and re-plant with natural landscaping that will be attractive and useful to butterflies and other wildlife. It's a great way to make an impact in our own community. Along the way we will learn about project planning, native and non-native plants, soil composition, irrigation and who knows what else - I'll be sure and tell you about it along the way!

It is very much a hands on activity and we are going to need more adults who can supervise off-site activities and bring more kids into the fold.

Think about other youth groups or organizations you know about that might like to work on an environmental project with us - do you know any boy scout troops, girl scouts, 4-H clubs? Groups that might be interested in partnering with us. Perhaps even our own rec dept. Think....I'll start making some calls.

I suggest we work on getting this support and doing our research over the fall/winter and be ready to do hands on work in the spring.

We would like to present our Project Plan to the HP Environmental Commission. Good idea, right? I'll help, I promise.

Let's meet this Monday Oct 20 at 3 pm to discuss our plan of action. Please be there if you are a Green Teen.
-------------------------------------------------------
Film Club

I am also busy working with some other teens on our film festival - making films and trying to get the word out to YOU to make your own film and submit it. Mtg for them Monday night 7 pm
Applications will be on our teen web page or stop by the library and pick one up.

Come to Film Club Mtg ready to break into groups and storyboard and brainstorm ideas. We need to filming by early November. Storyboarding comes first.

Bring cameras and laptops if you have them - the more equipment the more we can accomplish.


Cheers, Michelle

How did that happen?

October already...seriously?

I hope you're in a routine already - I'm not. Yikes. Must work on this. Tomorrow...

A few updates to our activities.

Green Teens - on hold - it's a huge commitment I'm not sure we can take on right now.
I'll keep you posted.

We can do other green activities without the hands on project at the Meadows - for now.

Film Club

Very actively working on promos for our festival to be held on January 11, 2009!
We have made 2 commercials and are working on 2 others! We have lots of new faces and it's very fun. We are learning how to work with cameras and software for editing. We have a few film ideas and always need actors, writers and funny people in general. Look for us on Youtube - "HP Library Teens" and on Local cable Ch 15 HPTV

Book Club

Maximum Ride - The Angel Experiment
Monday, Nov 17 at 7 pm
A fun book - action, light sci-fi and humor! A good read for all. Really. And if you like it, there are 3 more in the series. Pick up a copy at the desk.

Twilight Party!
Dec 8 at 7 pm

Everything Edward and Bella - and Jacob - because I love him the most.What is Bella thinking? Join us for a night of games, chat and fun - and food. We're cookievores, not to worry.


I'll be looking forward to seeing you whenever. ;)

Michelle

Eat Your Wheaties...

We have a lot on our plates. Or maybe you shouldn't eat too many wheaties if we have so much on our plates. I'll let you decide.

Teen Film Festival in January
Next Mtg is Oct 6th at 7 pm - 8:30 pm
What will we do?
Shoot and edit promos for our festival - this way we can all practice together
Promos will go on Youtube and HPTV, cable Channel 15
Work on our group film - Highland Park Zombie...the horror?!
Help other film makers with storyline, shooting, acting
Fundraise - we need software, money for t-shirts, and potentially a camera and laptop?!
Work on flyers, ads etc to promote our event.
Bring a digital camera and/or laptop if you have one. We have some equipment to share.


Green Teens Environmental Project at Meadows Trail
Meet Sunday, Sept 14 meet at 1:45 at the library or at Meadow Trails (bottom of south 5th)
at 2.
We will be selecting our plot of land for our restoration project and go on a guided Bird walk, Free! Don't miss it. Wear long pants and closed toed shoes.
Meet Monday, Sept 15th at 7 pm at the library to begin working on our Project Plan

Teen Advisory Group
Wednesday Oct 1, 4 pm
Help plan activities (fund-raising, community service, teen magazine, book club, chess, game days etc) and suggest books for purchase. Very fun. Always food and a lot of laughs. And, we get stuff done.

Hope to see you there.

Email me if you have any other ideas, suggestions, comments
mreasso@hpplnj.org

I'm baaaaaack!

I missed you all very much and am happy to be back to a job that I love!

I fully expected to be off on another venture, but some unexpected family issues and the lack of other opportunities kept me in the market for a job. So, here I am, and I am happy to see - so are you!

We have a lot of fun programs planned including our film festival, Expresso, and a new activity called "Green Teens". I'd like to find some way to devote different web pages to each of these activities so you can follow the progress of each, including photos, upcoming events and articles written by you(?) about what we have been doing.

Our first event will be a Teen Advisory Group Meeting so we can plan the things that you are most interested in.

Look for more news and emails in the next few weeks.

If you would like to receive weekly emails from me, please send me an email at mreasso@hpplnj.org

Hope to see you in the library!

Michelle

June Already!

Amazing. I've said that a lot in the last 8 weeks.

My dad has been quite ill since mid-April. The 14th to be exact. Anyway, it has been a roller-coaster ride, with some serious dips. My poor dad has a long road to recovery but we have a lot of folks making sure he stays on it. No worries.

So, summer's here! Along with spending days with dad recuperating, I hope to read, spend time at the beach with friends and family and look for a school librarian job for the fall. I may have to take a course or 2 to get certified - waiting on Dept of Ed to let me know what I have to do.

That's it. An update and hopes that you are looking forward to a change in pace (slower) and that you will make the most of it!

Congratulations to all you graduates. On to your next adventure. Very exciting!

Best, Michelle

Thank you

Thanks to all of you who came to the party or stopped by. It was so nice to celebrate with all of you. You failed miserably as individuals on the trivia quiz, but as a group you scored a 100! As it should be...each of you participated with me at the library in a different way. You were my book buddies, writers, readers, cartoonists, knitters, artists, and even film makers! All of you were unique friends. Thank you. It was great fun. To the embarrassment of my children, I really enjoy running into you around town, so keep your eye out for me and say hello! Be good. Michelle

Check out more photos at www.hpplnj.org/teens Click on photo gallery

Improv!

Here's a photo of our small but very talented teen? group.


Unfortunately, I picked a bad night...the play rehearsal was that evening and it was a religious holiday...my mistake. Sometimes these things happen when you plan a date far in advance. However, because you couldn't make it I got to jump in. You would have loved it - I did! Louis Wells, our instructor, was super and teaches at the George Street Playhouse. His GSP classes are listed below.

Teenprov - Improv Intensive… Back by popular demand!
Ages 13-17/ Saturday, April 12, 1:00 – 5:00 pm

Improv Workout (Adult)
4 classes, Mondays, April 28, May 5, 12 & 19, 6:45 – 8:45 pm.

Adult One-Day Improv
Saturday, June 7, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

Check out all the classes at GSP at this link ttp://www.georgestplayhouse.org/education/theatre_classes.php

Thank you to the Nj Theatre Alliance and NJ State Library for awarding us these workshops.

This was the middle school group - check out all the photos at our teen photo gallery - www.hpplnj.org/teens

Don't forget to check out the video that made it all possible - thanks, Jiali and Rose ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW7T5AiGDNQ


Keep smiling!

Michelle

So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, adieu,

Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu.



Well, it has to be done -
So, we will choose to celebrate all the fun we had while it lasted!


Party - be there if you can.....

Wednesday, March 26th at 3:30 we will get together for some snacks, some laughs, and a few hugs - no tears. If you can't make it Wednesday I will also be here on Sunday the 30th - my real last day. Stop in to say until we meet again?!

I live in town so you're sure to see my walking my dog, riding my bike or in Stop 'N Shop!

And, I'll definitely be stopping back in at the library. I'll make sure and borrow all my books after school.



If I get to it, I'll try and make up a game to play - any suggestions?
Maybe just charades or pictionary - those are my favorites. And, of course, this party will be all about me - and you! I'll bring a book for all of you to sign, how's that? And we'll take lots of photos.


Much love to all of you for being such a wonderful part of my life. It was a joy to work here with all of you. You made me laugh, think, smile and laugh some more! And I ate a lot more cheez doodles than I should have! Shame on you.

Wishing you all the best and I will look forward to hearing from you now and then.
Tell me what you're reading!

See you at the party....

Peace,

Michelle