Lunchtime Seminars abaker@haddontwpschools.com Arlene Baker arlenebaker50@gmail.com

Look for programming that supplements curriculum, introduces hobbies, celebrates holidays, prepares students for the future or may just be a fun topic.

Times to hold these seminars can be varied – lunch periods, advisory periods, club periods or after school.

My library serves both middle and high school. In the middle school most programs are during advisory periods. There are six different advisory periods – one for each team. These programs tend to be well attended, actually too well attended at times. In the high school they are almost always during lunch. Students can bring a bag lunch and eat during the program. Middle school teachers love to bring classes to the library during the advisory program since they hate that period. HS teachers often give students incentives to attend – extra credit on a test; chance to take a quiz over again. If I’m having an outside speaker I definitely try for that so I’m not embarrassed with no one showing up.

Ideas for programs can be brainstorming with others or just on your own. Look in the paper for interesting programs or people. Find out what the public libraries are doing. You can also partner with the public library.

Ideas to try:How to have a better college interview. I partner with a guidance councilor. We time it to be just before seniors are going on interviews. The councilor does a little good interview/bad interview skit with a student. There is a handout that gives tips for that good interview.

Graphic novels and graphic nonfiction sessions. This was a series of sessions on the topic. The first one was a history of graphic novels and information on the variety of these books. Later sessions were students’ book talking favorites or recent reads, trying some drawing or letting them browse new titles.

Veterans’ Day/Week programs. These have been very popular in our school. I usually do this on two days – one for middle school and one for the high school. Some years I have an outside speaker and other years I did a program. I have done a program I do on the Battleship NJ called Women in the Navy (military). Another one that I do is on the Medal of Honor and recipients. Another was making lap blankets for the veterans’ home. Outside speakers have been a school maintenance man who was a Navy diver, a WWII vet, Korean War vet, a WWII woman vet. Another time it was making cards to send veterans in the Vineland Veteran’s Home.

Everyday life program about a time period being studied in history classes. One was “Yo, George, What’s Happening”. That was about everyday life in the 18th century. Another was everyday life during the Civil War.

A program planned was music of WWII. The focus was on patriotic and war referenced music of the US and England.

Very popular with the middle school kids was family tree sessions. The response was too popular. I had to limit sessions after the first introductory session to three or less since we researched their specific family.

Another program that the middle school decided to have every class attend was on the US Census. It included the history of the census and questions on the past census and last year’s census. We ended on why they should make sure their family fills one out. This particular program was partnered with the local public library branch. It included a planning session with that public library and a census representative.

During women’s history month I had career speakers such as woman FBI agent, woman dentist, women’s basketball coach from local university, etc.

Armed Forces Day – recruiters bring show and tells (no weapons) like field rations, equipment, etc.

Shoot Hoops for Charity - Nerf basketball on James Naismith’s birthday

Other ideas:Photography – try to get a camera store or photography club to send a speaker.Pet care, selection, pocket pets – speakers can be someone from a pet store, zoo person, veterinary college student, animal welfare, etc.Triviathon (can collect donations for a cause)Poetry Day or slam – English teachers may want to help with this.Political cartoons or military training cartoons (WWII).Model railroad hobby – a member of a hobby club could talk.Bicycle maintenance – club or store speakerMaking friendship bracelets could be a session for paired students (our school has big brother/sister pairs)Tie in weather and history i.e. Typhoon Cobra also called Halsey’s Typhoon – typhoons, lowest barametric pressure and US Pacific fleet in WWIIVarious needle crafts – get a hobbyist to speak or demonstrate.Students tutor senior citizens on computer use.Reinactors speak about their group and time period – Civil War, Colonial America etcRutgers Camden had a Call of the Wild Event that could be adapted for sessions. They had Jack London Look-alikes, panning for gold, graham-cracker cabin building, and wildlife organization speaker.Black History Month – slave quilts, Still family who have a reunion every year.MangaCollege interview adviceKnitCrochetAmateur radio (856-783-4808 x5029

GenealogyAlexandra Cooke- Mullica Hill College Frosh wrote book (Compulsion)YogaTeen Tech- bring your favorite gadget to show and tellOrigamiSoft sculpture (Swedesboro PL)Plastic Bag crochet (W. Dept)Wedding reception dancing (line dancing)CensusHoney programAquarium talk

You may not hit a homerun with a session or even get to 1st base but these programs serve a purpose in expanding student horizons.