Project LIT @JICHS

Comments from our Punching the Air Event

"Important book - great selection and very impactful presentation by the author. Good discussion with the students around me. Really worthwhile!"

"I would be interested to see opportunities for JICHS students engage directly with more criminal justice reform organizations/advocates."

"Ibi Zoboi was amazing. She is such an amazing speaker and really brought so much to the event!!"

Project LIT Community @ProjectLITComm

A grassroots literacy movement empowering readers and leaders in hundreds of schools & communities across the country.

Ibi Zoboi and Punching the Air- April 28, 2022


Event organizers, John Grant and Zaire Jones, lead Slay discussion.

Thanks to our UBASA Members for a successful HBCU Fair!

Ground Zero event. Ms Montella shares her family history on 9/11.

Attentive students appreciating the Ground Zero discussion.

What our students are saying:

After discussion and HBCU Fair on Slay:

Overall, I enjoyed the author visit and the HBCU fair. I liked how the author was very open and honest about how she created/wrote the book. I enjoyed how she gave us a backstory about the origin of everything. The HBCU fair was very fun and interesting. I was apart of it because of UBASA. I did Texas Southern University for my HBCU college. Overall, I learned so much and wouldn't mind contributing to another event like this again.

I think that having student led presentations and events is amazing, and it would be wonderful to see more of these types of events allowing students to celebrate and share their education and individual talents with members of our JICHS community and beyond.

After discussion on Clap When you Land:

I just like how open we are as a school to talk about important issues, and I want that to continue - it felt like a safe space to talk and discuss without being judged harshly, people were open to listen.

After hearing Dashka Slater, author of The 57 Bus:

Justice isn’t about revenge, it’s about forgiveness.

Doing anything hateful because of someone's differences is never justified.


Blackout Poetry and a Poetry Slam

add to the festivities!

UBASA students quote John Lewis' Good Trouble Quotes.

Students create Civil Rights posters to start the March event.

YA Project Lit @JICHS 20 - 21

Events @ JICHS 20-21:

  • May discussion on Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. (5/7/21)

  • February discussion on March: Book one. (2/25/21)

  • December discussion on Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - (12/15/20)

YA Project Lit @JICHS 19 - 20

Past Events @ JICHS 19-20:

  • Discussion & Event of Pride by Ibi Zoboi, organized with UBASA and in conjunction with BHM & HBCU promotions (2/20/2020)

  • Internment by Samira Ahmed (1/30/2020)

  • Skype with Jarrett Krosoczka, author of Hey Kiddo (9/25/19)

  • Visit with Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift (11/8/19)

  • Visit with Dashka Slater, author of The 57 Bus (11/11/19)

  • Skype with Scott Reintgen, author of Nyxia (12/12/19)

UBASA introduced Historically Black Colleges & Universities!

Students organized and led discussion on Zoboi's Pride.

Mark Oshiro @JICHS 11/8/19


Why participate?

Awesome books

  • Click on book cover images for more information on each book

Fantastic discussions

  • Project Lit club typically meets on alternate Thursdays with Ms Brown and Ms Scruggs in room 216 and the events always include some book talk! However, due to the pandemic, we are considering other discussion options. We'll keep you informed. Always contact us with suggestions!

Delicious food *COVID dependent*

  • Each Project Lit event or Skype (except for the author talks with 100+ students) includes food! We want to feed you! If guidelines allow, we'll consider. Stay safe!

Engaged readers

  • Students, faculty, admin and community members are all reading these books and want to talk about them and the issues with you!

Stellar rewards

  • Tshirts, shopping bags for autographs, insulated cups - all just for reading and participating. Check out the club meetings with Ms Brown and Ms Scruggs to find out how to win!

How to participate?

Read books

Join discussions

  • See above for dates and email the librarians!

Attend events

  • Check out the events list at the top and stop by the library to get on the list.

More information

Faculty contacts