MASH Day Healthcare Career Expo 2008

The Freedom Regional Library partnered with Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, Carolinas HealthCare System and Communities In Schools to offer the 6th annual MASH Day / Healthcare Career Expo on March 15. Scores of area youth took advantage of the opportunity to meet practitioners from a variety of healthcare disciplines and talk with colleges about their admissions requirements. One of the highlights was the mock emergency simulation of a fatal car wreck and the response from emergency personnel.

The event featured interactive exhibits inside the school as well as a number of booths set up from representatives of area hospitals and medical providers. Freebies were given out to the attendees and several teens won door prizes and raffle items.

Students from many area schools participated with the greatest participation coming from Phillip O. Berry including a future Doctor Greer (pictured here on the right with her buddy from West Meck).

Book It! Teen Readers Festival @ Freedom

In advance of the Book It! event at Imaginon, Freedom Regional Library hosted a preview event for students of Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology to meet some of today's newest, hottest YA Authors including L. Divine (Drama High! Series), Victoria Christopher Murray, Joyce E. Davis, Kim Flores, Cecil B. Cross and Denene Milner. In addition to hearing the authors speak the authors shared tips with the students on bringing words to life using dramatic readings. Media Specialist Naima Hakim toured the authors through the school and connected them with 6 different classes throughout the day. One student approached a library staff member an hour before the library opened to request one of Victoria Murray's books, which was conveniently already on display!

The author visits to Berry classes were a great way to spark interest for the main event on Saturday.

Teen Tech Week Kick-Off Party @ Freedom

Freedom Regional Library hosted the system kick-off party in celebration of Teen Tech Week on Monday, March 3. Teens from Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, Harding University High School and from the surrounding communities participated in the festive event.

Colleges were on hand to showcase their technology programs and students from the UNCC's Computer Science Dept. discussed careers in IT with the students. Devry University, Central Piedmont Community College and ITT Technical Institute also had booths set up.

Jesse Vieau from Imaginon's Teen Loft set up the Gaming Zone for teens to play "Rock Band", Nintendo Wii and Call of Duty on some Alienware laptops that were networked together.

The Mix Academy DJs were scratching some rhythms with assistance from many of the teens. The portable Animation Station was also set-up for demonstration in addition to Teen Second Life in the student lab. Library staff, teens and even the parents and younger children in attendance had a great time with all the activities. A few lucky teens left with door prizes including one teen who won an iPod shuffle.

Teen Tech Week is a national initiative sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association and is aimed at teens, their parents, educators and other concerned adults. The purpose of the initiative is to ensure that teens are competent and ethical users of technologies, especially those that are offered through libraries such as DVDs, databases, audiobooks, and videogames. Teen Tech Week encourages teens to use libraries' nonprint resources for education and recreation, and to recognize that librarians are qualified, trusted professionals in the field of information technology. Teen Tech Week began in 2007 and has a general theme of Get Connected @ your library. The 2008 celebration is March 2-8.