Upcoming Opportunities
Descriptions below are provided by host organizations.
CALL FOR LIBRARIES – BEYOND OUR WALLS
A project to bring neighborhood games to 20+ cities and communities through public libraries
August 15, 2022
The Hive Mechanic team is recruiting libraries to become hubs for making outdoor games and interactive stories — using their local history, community voices, and neighborhood landmarks. By joining this program, libraries will become hubs for making our own stories and outdoor games. The initiative provides live training, pays for materials, and runs workshops for patrons over Zoom using “low tech” tools to keep the focus on telling community stories. For more information, visit the program website.
SCHOLARSHIP – PLACEMAKING: MAKING IT HAPPEN
September 2, 2022 | 11:59 PM Eastern
The scholarship application for attending Placemaking: Making It Happen (Online Edition) is now open. Historically, placemaking as a profession has only been accessible to a privileged few. To that end, this scholarship application process will prioritize candidates from low-income communities, communities of color, and other communities affected by social inequities. Priority will also be given to candidates who clearly describe how the training will support their current work or professional development. For more information, visit the event website.
INTERNATIONAL DOT DAY
September 15, 2022
International Dot Day, a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration, began when teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot on September 15, 2009. The Dot is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark”. What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing, which has gone on to inspire countless children and adults around the globe. What started as a story in the pages of a book has grown to much more. For more information about how to celebrate, visit https://www.internationaldotday.org/
YOUTH FREE EXPRESSION FILM CONTEST
September 19, 2022
Every year, the Youth Free Expression Program (YFEP) invites young filmmakers to create a short film on a contemporary First Amendment issue. This video (up to 3 minutes) can use film, animation, photographs, music, or anything else to explore what free speech means to them–a student, a citizen and a human. The first-place winner receives a scholarship to the New York Film Academy (terms and conditions apply). The top three filmmakers (individual or team) will receive cash prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250. For more information, visit https://ncac.org/project/film-contest
COMICS IN THE CLASSROOM
Save the Date & Call for Proposals
October 15, 2022 | Virtual
Save the Date
Reading With Pictures, the most trusted source for knowledge about the impact of comics and graphic novels for empowerment, learning, and lifelong joy, is proud to announce Comics In The Classroom, a virtual professional development event! Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 15, 2022.
This event will feature a mix of live workshops and panels, pre-recorded content, and live networking events. The conference focuses on the use of comics and graphic novels across the curriculum at all levels. There will be opportunities to exchange ideas with other teachers and librarians, as well as to ask questions of our education experts. For more information, visit the organization website or follow @readingwithpix on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Call for Proposals
In our continued efforts to help others engage learners through comics, we wanted to reach out to you – the educators, librarians, parents, creators, parents, and retailers – to invite you to submit a panel for our Comics in the Classroom virtual conference. We’re looking for panels about using comics/manga/sequential art to reach learners in all age groups, content areas, and learning environments. If you’re interested in being a part of this growing movement, please submit your panel proposal using this application form.
Ongoing Tools
Descriptions below are provided by host organizations.
GET PARENTING TIPS ACTIVITY BOOKS
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is offering FREE GetParentingTips coloring/activity books suitable for young children that will be shipped to your library or school at no charge. The GetParentingTips Activity Books feature 28 pages of artwork, puzzles, and language learning activities. Each box contains 50 coloring books and 10 sets of 4-Pack crayons. Bulk ordering is available. To place an order, visit the website.
MINETEST
Minetest is a FREE and open source video game and game creation system. If your library is interested in supporting critical thinking through virtual gaming but find the Minecraft game series cost-prohibitive, then Minetest may be the answer. The game mechanics of Minetest are extremely similar to those of the mainstream alternative, offering a block environment, simple circuit-switching features, and visual bots. Furthermore, it’s available for Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, DragonFly BSD, and Android for free. For more information, visit the game’s website.
STORY BEAST LAIR
Story Beast Lair aims to create a safe place for storytellers, story lovers, and creatives of all art forms to exchange ideas, learn of new resources, and to be inspired. They envision this e-Pub to be a “Big Tent,” where all are welcomed and where readers are limited only by their imagination. For more information, visit the magazine’s site.
Need more resources?
Check out our webinars that focus on Youth Services for more information.
Questions?
For more information, visit our youth services page, contact Christina Taylor at ld@tsl.texas.gov, or call 512-463-5465.
