The library at Auburn is a quiet place to read, but it also offers other activities to middle school students as well! Wonder Club, library lunch passes, and volunteering are a few of the activities we students enjoy.

Wonder Club

Wonder Club is a related arts class in the library that students may select during the fall and spring “Arts Choice” six-week rotation. It’s called Wonder Club because we wonder what we will do each day! In this class, we tutor younger students, learn about and make nutritious snacks, and read.

Ms. Paige Alexander, the nutrition teacher, comes once a week with a new recipe for us to make. So far, we have made smoothies, broccoli salad, and yogurt parfaits. “I like the nutritional snacks we make, and the break from regular class,” said Keira Costello, eighth grader. “Most of the time, kids wouldn’t want to eat broccoli, but the recipe for the broccoli salad made it taste really good!” Will Clark, another eighth grader, agreed, “Ms. Paige is very nice and can cook really well!”

Once a week, mostly Tuesdays, a first grade class comes to the library as part of their reading class. Each Wonder Club middle school student works in a small group with first graders. We read with them to help them practice their reading skills and meet their reading goals. Calie Dowell stated, “The kids are really sweet and love to read with us!” Overall, our eighth graders love reading with the first grade and we look forward to it each week.

Lunch Passes

This year, Mrs. Carla Abbott, our librarian, made something new for the middle schoolers: library lunch passes! These passes allow middle schoolers to leave the lunchroom when they are done eating. Students come to the library to play board games, read, or work with kindergarten students, who have library class during this time. This idea has become so popular, there is a reservation list for spots!

Eighth grader Nick Barker said, “I enjoy coming to the library to play checkers with my friends.” Thanks to the Auburn FRYSC, the library now has new tall tables and chairs just for middle school students!

Volunteering

Each morning, a few middle school students volunteer their homeroom time in the library. We help the librarian, and the library paraprofessional, Mrs. Teresa Morrison, with checking books in and out and shelving. These students really enjoy doing this every morning. Jamasyn Belcher, who volunteers daily, said, “I enjoy coming in the library to help the librarians, Mrs. Morrison and Mrs. Abbott. They are always so cheery and make my day.”

We enjoy our library, and the activities it offers to all students at Auburn!