Congratulations to AwesomeStPaul August 2024 grant recipient to buy books. The 1200 students at Como Park High School will now have relevant and engaging
books. AwesomeStPaul Trustees always are doing our best to encourage reading.
Librarian Sheri Chaffee-Johnson explained in her application, “Giving our students access to current, relevant, and inclusive library books is so important. Students reading is so important. They will become better readers if there are books that they want to read on our shelves. I've weeded out the books that are outdated or outright racist and what's remaining is pretty thin.
Can you believe in our sports section there was a 1952 copy of "Square Dancing: How to Call and Dance Them". Seriously... in 2023 in an urban school that is so diverse 45 languages are spoken in our hallways!

I'm asking for money to update our library collection with some highly engaging books that reflect the lived experiences, identities, and culture of our students. Books that speak to current understanding around careers, finance, technology, history, politics, science, etc. Students should see themselves on the covers of books and as the characters in stories they read. Help me give them quality book choices.”