CW Profiles

By Zach Miles

Mrs. DeHays’ English Language Learners (ELL) class recently went on a field trip to Indian Trail Elementary school to practice their reading skills by reading children’s books to the elementary students.

Students in the class have been working all year on improving their English and Mrs. DeHays wanted to put their skills to the test at the elementary school.

“We are always practicing our presentation skills and reading aloud to different groups of people, so I reached out to the librarians here at Indian Trail, Mrs. Tokarz at the high school helped me, and I’m ELL teacher, so we put it together,” said DeHays.

Once they arrived at the school, the students broke off into different sections of the library, each with a different children’s book in hand. They began to look over their books one more time before the elementary kids flooded in, excited and eager to hear their stories. The kids were directed in groups of four to each one of the students and they began to read.

The kids sat and watched attentively while the students read their books. Some kids raised their hands and asked questions throughout the book, and some waited until the end. When the book was finished, the kids gave a high five or a hug to their student before lining up at the door with the rest of their class.

One high school student said that “My favorite part was the conversation, the kids asking questions about the story and answering them.”

After they read, most of the students admitted they were nervous at first, but they all were very prepared and it got easier once they started reading.

“We have been reading to each other. Mrs. Tokarz came in and read to us one day, I showed a couple videos online of people reading aloud to children, I read aloud to the kids, and then they read to each other several times,” said DeHays.

Overall, the students really enjoyed reading to the elementary school kids and did a great job practicing their reading and English skills.

Mrs. DeHays was very happy with the project and stated “I love it. I want to do it again. I think it went really well.”

By Zach Miles

The high school library is going through drastic changes this year led by library specialist Mrs. Lydia Tokarz.

Tokarz has been teaching for 17 years, 12 of which were as a gifted intervention specialist and her two most recent as the media specialist at Winchester Trail. This is her first year at the high school. Her transition to the high school library has been exciting for her, and she has really enjoyed working with the students.

“I love the students here, I love that they’re independent thinkers, and I love talking with them and learning from them and working together,” said Tokarz.

The library is undergoing transitions from a traditional library into a library learning commons, where students will have a flexible space to study and collaborate with each other.

“Our goal really is to be the learning and literacy hub of the school, we want to see collaboration going on here, critical thinking, communication, creation, the four C’s, so I think that’s huge,” she said.

The library is also getting rid of many of its nonfiction and reference books in favor of bolstering the fiction section.

Tokarz stated that “Mrs. [Gina] Clarke and I are going to work on weeding the collection. We don’t need a reference section anymore because we all have pocket computers, and we can get to any information we need by pulling out our device.”

In the learning commons, Tokarz wants to see different learning zones such as a study zone, a book café where students can check out, peruse, recommend and read books, and a collaboration space for students to work together. But most of all, Tokarz wants the space to be student centered.

“I think it’s important that our students want to come here, that’s really important to me. That our students like coming here, that it’s a space where they feel comfortable and they know the purpose of the space, how to access information and technology and use the space independently.”

The transformation from traditional library to learning commons has already started, with the new center being built behind the current office space.

“The drywall is up, it looks beautiful. There are huge picture windows, and I was so excited this summer to meet with the library designer and choose flexible seating. I think that is an important part of our space,” she said.

Some of the layout and design of the learning commons is still being determined, and Tokarz would like some feedback about what students want in their new library learning commons.

“I’m getting ready to send out a survey to all students in our school to hear from them. Student feedback is most important to me.”

Be sure to follow Mrs. Tokarz’s library website or on Twitter @MrsTsLLC for updates and information about the library.

By Drew Adams, Allison Kuck

For half a decade, May has meant a lot in Canal Winchester. Winter is finally over, summer is around the corner, and thousands of food bags have been dropped off to community members.

It all started when current CWHS junior, Brooklyn Best, was in sixth grade 4-H.

Every May over the past half decade, thousands of bags have been distributed to doorsteps in Canal Winchester, waiting to collect food items for CW Human Services. The tradition has become well-known, but its beginning was just a small wish to make a difference.

Five years ago, Brooklyn Best was a sixth grader at Canal Winchester Middle School who participated in 4-H. For one of her projects, she was looking for a way to give back to the community. She decided to enlist the help of her mother, who is a sixth grade teacher at the middle school.

Together, they created what is known as the “Brock Walk.” With the help of her friends Sam Peters, Sam Zungri, Lexi Henkel, and Alayna Cowan, they began distributing bags to homes around the community. Their plan was to have people around the community put food items into the bag, then collect the bags the next day and give all contents to Canal Winchester Human Services for the food pantry.

The idea was a success, and the project has only grown. Brooklyn has stepped away from the helm, but each year, the sixth grade students of CW have carried on the spirit of giving back to those in need.

“The sixth graders get so excited [to participate],” said Brooklyn. “That’s my favorite part.”

Now that Brooklyn is a junior at the high school, her mom keeps the Brock Walk going by taking the sixth grade class on a two-day field trip to help distribute and pick up bags. The range of the project has even extended to Bloom Carroll, where more families in need receive goods.

Appreciation for Brooklyn’s project does not go unsaid. Community members who donate frequently leave notes or talk to the kids picking up the food-filled bags. Brooklyn said that the kind words always encourage her.

None of this would be possible, however, without the help of the BrockStrong Foundation. They help to fund the project, while sending volunteers including Brock’s family members Terry, Kristi, and Tucker Johnson.

“They are great people to work with,” said Brooklyn. “[They] are so willing to help with whatever we need.”

In return, they decided to name this project the “Brock Walk,” in honor of Brock Johnson, who passed away in 2015 after battling an auto-immune disease from birth. Brooklyn began this project in the same year.

Now that Brooklyn is in high school, instead of leading the Brock Walk, she’s become a volunteer herself. She volunteers every year for the project she began, and she’s excited to help out again this May.