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8 | October 20, 2016 | The Lockport Legend news lockportlegend.com Teen Read Week engages LTHS students with poetry, spoken word, dance Kirsten Onsgard Assistant Editor George David Miller performs slam poetry at the LTHS Media Center, touching on topics such as his brother’s death and gay rights. The day was not even halfway over, but sophomore Tyrell Jackson was shouting in Lockport Township High School’s library. Sure, it was a Shakespeare sonnet — but poet George David Miller was egging him and a fellow student on: be louder and angrier. Together, they let out the line, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” slam poetry-style, bouncing off each other’s words in front of about 50 of their peers Thursday, Oct. 13, as a part of Miller’s presentation for Teen Read Week at LTHS. The week is in part an effort to reacquaint students with the library. Miller’s style is unapologetically outspoken, and his presentations during each class period included a mix of poetry, audience participation and remarks about issues facing both students and the country. He jumped on chairs, stared down students and leapt around the room while reciting poetry and rapping about gay rights, feminism, rape culture, classism and discrimination. “You want to get them to actually start listening to the words that you say and understand that they’re so important, and open up different ways of seeing the world,” Miller said. “If you touch somebody’s heart, sometimes you’re able to do that.” Miller, who is the philosophy department chair at Lewis University, has been writing poetry for more than 40 years and performing for students for more than 15, including several times at LTHS. He does not pander to students because of their age, he said, and he sees himself as an “agitator” on these topics. He said one student at LTHS who had just began publicly identifying as gay approached him after his first period presentation to tell him how much it resonated with them. “It meant a lot to hear that, for that student,” he said. Miller’s presentation Oct. 13 was just one of the weeklong activities during Teen Read Week, a national initiative created by the Young Adult Library Services Association to encourage literacy among young adults. Lockport Township High School Media Specialist Jeff Krohn said that while about 700 students use the library each day, he is always looking for new ways to best utilize the space that’s no longer simply a “shh, quiet library,” he said. The Media Center will be undergoing renovations prior to the 2017-2018 Poet George David Miller performs at the Lockport Township High School Media Center for Teen Read Week on Thursday, Oct. 13, at East Campus. Photos by Kirsten Onsgard/22nd Century Media school year, including adding nooks and monitors for small group work and opening up the space, he said. “[It’s] for some of the other students who may not come down here — who don’t know what the inside of the library looks like,” Krohn said. “We just like expose students to different opportunities, different ways of learning or how he was performing. That’s the main goal.” Teen Read Week, which Krohn brought to LTHS when he was hired in 2008, is a co-curricular effort, including classes from gym to social studies. On Wednesday, a dance class performed a choreographed routine, and on Tuesday, Flannery Crump, a teen librarian from the White Oak Library District Lockport Branch, led book talks. For Jackson, who writes poetry in his spare time for fun, Miller’s bold style during his Oct. 13 performance was inspiring to see. Miller flipped the script on Jackson and four other student volunteers during one of his presentations, asking them instead to recite poetry in different voices and styles in front of their peers. “That really touched me,” Jackson said. “I think when he was engaging with the audience … and making us feel uncomfortable, but we wanted to see why he was doing that.” While it elicited some uncomfortable giggles from a few participants, Jackson said he liked that Miller “doesn’t care what other people say” and was willing to break from the norm. “To see a leader come to our school and teach me something, that was pretty crazy,” he said. Elections From Page 5 tested in the General Primary. State House District 37 represents all or part of Homer Glen, Lockport, Frankfort, New Lenox, Mokena and Orland Park. State House District 41 Incumbent Grant Wehrli is uncontested on the ballot in the 41st State House District. He also ran uncontested in the General Primary. State House District 41 represents all or parts of Homer Glen and Lockport. State House District 82 Incumbent Jim Durkin is uncontested on the ballot in the 82nd State House District. He also ran uncontested in the General Primary. State House District 82 represents all or parts of Lockport and Homer Glen. State House District 85 Incumbent Emily McAsey is uncontested on the ballot in the 85th State House District. She also ran uncontested in the General Primary. State House District 85 represents a portion of Lockport. Tax From Page 5 be $3.99 million. The referendum is mostly the same as the one proposed in March, according to Pointon. “The financial impact is exactly the same,” he said. The library district plans to use the additional funds to increase library hours, increase outreach services and install a digital media lab. These are the same areas the district planned to use the money for back in March, but after conducting a public survey following the previous referendum’s failure, the district has decided to give more specifics about its plan, district director Scott Pointon said. Much of the feedback received through the survey was that voters would be more likely to vote in favor of the referendum if the new, increased hours for the libraries were made available, Pointon said. The district plans to increase the hours per week the libraries are open from the current 60 to 71, should the referendum pass. The new hours would be 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The libraries currently open at 10 a.m. Outreach services currently serve senior citizens, and if the referendum passes, it would also provide the opportunity to service early childhood development centers, as previously reported by The Legend. The digital media lab would provide a space for people to make sound recordings, film short video clips and digitize photographs and video home systems, Pointon said. The library is to host an informational talk about the referendum at 7 p.m. on Nov. 1 where Pointon will explain what it means in lamens terms, and answer questions about it.
lockportlegend.com Community the Lockport Legend | October 20, 2016 | 9 Photo Op Charles Parchem shared this photo he took of a bird recently while running on 167th Street near Parker Road. Have you captured something unique, interesting, beautiful or just plain fun on camera? Submit a photo for “Photo Op” by emailing it to max@lock portlegend.com, or mailing it to 11516 W. 183rd St., Office Condo 3 Unit SW, Orland Park, IL, 60467. Pizzeria & Restaurant 15764 S. BELL RD. HOMER GLEN 708.301.8300 • www.chesdanspizza.com “OUR BEST EFFORT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS” Cooper Mary Szuta, Lockport resident I’m taking care of my daughter’s dog, Cooper, while she’s been traveling. He’s a great dog, and he even has his own Facebook page as Coop Cooperton. Do you want to see your pet pictured as The Lockport Legend’s Pet of the Week? Send your pet’s photo and a few sentences explaining why your pet is outstanding to Max at max@lockportlegend.com or 11516 W. 183rd St., Office Condo 3, Suite SW, Orland Park, IL 60467. Why Just Change Oil When You Can... • FAMILY DISCOUNT Multiple Cars - 2nd Car Oil Change...... $3.00 OFF • Tues. - LADIES DAY Oil Change............................................... $3.00 OFF • Wed. - SENIOR DAY Oil Change............................................... $3.00 OFF • NEW CAR CHECK-UPS • Lube, Oil & Filter • Automatic Transmission Service • • Differential Service • Air Filter, Breather & PVC Valve • New and Improved! We Remodeled! COUPON OIL CHANGE We’ll Check and Top Off... ˛ Transmission Fluid ˛ Power Steering Fluid ˛ Radiator Fluid Not valid with any other offer. Expires 11/10/2016 $ 22 99 1038 E. Ninth Street (Rt. 7) • Lockport, IL • 815-838-4948 Between Pagoda House and Anthony’s Pancake House Help YOUR customers in love with YOUR business. Order your Pumpkin Shaped Pizza 2 Sizes OR LARGE today! personal $ 6.20 $ 16.40 For Advertising, Contact Sherry Ranieri 708.326.9170 ext. 21 s.ranieri@22ndcenturymedia.com ®
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