School Gets New Look for Library

The Cohasset Elementary School in Van Nuys is the latest to receive a state-of-the-art library from the Wonder of Reading, a nonprofit group that renovates Los Angeles Unified School District libraries.

New green and gray carpeting, a reading amphitheater and $10,000 worth of new biographies, science books and books in Braille are just some of the changes from the four-week make-over.

“This means everything for our school,” said Principal Cherie Spamer. “The only way we can get kids to be successful, whether they become custodians or heart surgeons, is that they will have to be literate.”

And just how bad was the old library? Think of the worst thing you can, Spamer said.

“Dull, drab and just a few books on the shelves. It was the most pathetic thing.”

The Wonder of Reading was founded in 1994. Since then, the organization has renovated 30 school district libraries and plans to tackle 18 more by 2001.

“The state libraries are in is pathetic,” said Wonder of Reading Director Dori Hairrell. “We wish we didn’t have to exist, but we do.”

Schools applying for consideration must demonstrate need, room to expand and ability to split the $40,000 price tag with the charitable organization. But above all, Hairrell said, schools must be willing to change the way they think about their library.

“We are looking for schools that understand the value of a library and those that will make the library the center of their [school] community,” she said.

Cohasset’s new library will be open to the public Feb. 3 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at 15810 Saticoy St. For more information about the Wonder of Reading, call (310) 289-1201.

KUDOS

Try, Try Again: Granada Elementary School will be computer shopping soon, with a $50,000 grant from the J.M. Long Foundation, owners of Longs Drug Stores. The grant will fund a new multimedia literacy center, filled with computers, television monitors, educational videos, literacy software and other materials to help ensure reading proficiency by third grade. Parents will have access to the center in the evenings to assist with learning.

The school received the award, in part, because of the persistence of teacher and grant writer Mark Ellis.

“You face a lot of rejection when you apply for [grants],” he said. “You just have to not give up and wear ‘em down until they finally give in.” School administrators expect the new center to be opened by fall.

PROGRAM NOTES

Two spots are still open for high schools that want to compete in the academic game show Desafio Academico--which means Academic Challenge in Spanish--airing Sundays at 1:30 p.m. on KWHY-TV, Channel 22.

The competition pits district schools against each other for cash prizes up to $10,000. Teams comprise two students who are learning English and two who are English proficient. Tapings are Feb. 13 and Feb. 20.

Valley high schools slated for competition include Canoga Park, Chatsworth, El Camino Real, John Francis Polytechnic, John F. Kennedy, James Monroe, North Hollywood, San Fernando, Sylmar, Van Nuys and Verdugo Hills.

“We knew there were some great scholars out there who weren’t getting recognized by their own schools because of their lack of English skills,” said Ricardo Velasquez, co-host and coordinator of the program that has aired since 1998.

For information, call (213) 204-1727 or visit https://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/orgs/desafio.

END NOTES

Wonder Years: Ever wonder what a typical day is like on a middle school campus? “A Day In The Life of a Middle School Student” will air through February in the Glendale/La Crescenta area on Charter Cable’s public education Channel 15.

The hourlong program, paid for by the Glendale Unified School District, follows Toll Middle School student Armen Yekyazarian through his day with insight from teachers and staff.

“Public schools have taken a bad rap for a number of years,” said district spokeswoman Susan Hunt. “We are confident we are doing good things for the children and want to show that to the public.”

The show repeats at 7 p.m. Mondays and at 12:30 p.m. Sundays.

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Class Notes appears every Wednesday. Send news about schools to the Valley Edition, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Or fax it to (818) 772-3338.