Alexander Muse Unveils New Crop of Teen Talent

The 4th publication of The Alexander Muse teen art and literary magazine debuted on April 16, 2013 with yet another incredible mix of teen works. The event was held at the Taylorsville Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. Talented teens Grace Williams, Peter Ippolito, Jared Webb, and Ghost Named Gertrude provided musical entertainment. Refreshments were provided by Alexander Friends of the Library.

1st prize, provided by Wal-Mart of Taylorsville, was a $25 gift card for Wal-Mart. First place winners by category were: Art (front cover of the magazine), “Reiterate” by Hunter Wiseman; Photography (back cover), “Nailed To The Cross” by Grace Williams; Prose, “The Chaos Called Prom” by Jessie Tallman and Kayla Lance; and Poetry, “The Lady of Shallot, Am I” by Taylor Barber.

2nd prize, provided by Alexander Friends of the Library, was a $15 gift certificate for Village Inn Pizza. Second place winners by category were: Art, “Butterfly Ship” by London Mooneyham; Photography, “Love Canoe” by Allison Hager; Prose, “Itsy Bitsy Spider” by Kira Call; and Poetry, “You, I Need” by Matthew Barger.

3rd prize, provided by Alexander Friends of the Library, was a $5 Subway gift card. Third place winners by category were: Art, “Mono Tree” by Karalee Fox ; Photography, “Lions” by Jesse Luffman; Prose, “The 10 Most Valuable Things A Kid Can Learn In High School” by Dalton Hatchett; and Poetry, “Ode a Bord d’un Avion” by Kristin Collins.

3 Honorable Mention spots were named per category: Art – “Wash By Marker” by Billy Lee, “Norman Lewis Replica” by Brandon Tellado, and “Struggle for Life” by Leng Yang; Photography – “Three Crosses” by Makala Byrd, “Storm Hawk” by Caleb Queen, and “Tree on Cell Phone” by Jeremiah Webb and Grace Williams; Prose – “A Stranger You Once Were” by Alexis Barnes, “Blank Sheet of Paper” by Sierra Shoffner, and “Grandma” by Hunter Trent; and Poetry – “A Trip Through El Centro” by Mia Blochaviak and Jessica Ferretiz, “Just Move On” by Crystal Price, and “Teen Angst” by Hunter Wiseman.

The Alexander Muse staff includes: Alexander Central High School English teacher, Beth Duncan; ACHS art teacher, Robbin Isenhour Stewart; and Alexander County Library children’s librarian, Melissa Hager.

The staff thanks all of the students who submitted works. They also wish to thank Alexander Friends of the Library; Wal-Mart of Taylorsville; Shannon and Brandy Childers; Taylorsville Presbyterian Church; the judges who determined the 2013 collection – Heather Friday, Judy Rider, Carol Turner, Bud Caywood, Kelly Demaegd, Doug McHargue, Nancy Posey, Anthony Rankine, Adrian Rice, Glenn Fox, James Labrenz, and Chad Ritchie; Stephen Gantert and Peter Ippolito for sound at the debut; Terry Graham; Muse assistants – Katrina Grant, Victoria Lackey, and Lexxie Monthony; The Taylorsville Times; Alexander County Schools; and Alexander County Government.

All magazine works will be on display at Alexander County Library through the summer. A free online edition of the magazine is available at www.thealexandermuse.blogspot.com.

The Alexander Muse is a collaborative effort of Alexander County Schools and Alexander County Library. The goal is to inspire creativity in the teens of Alexander County. The contest is open to all high school students from Alexander County regardless of educational institution.

Final Teen Poetry Happens for Year Procures Fun and Awesome Words

The final Teen Poetry Happens of the 2012/2013 school year finished with the luck of the Irish and The Harlem Shake! In poetry and art, the teens expressed themselves with verve.

"Shamrocks" by Jeremiah Webb

Shamrocks are like apple bites
They stand out like a clown on Wall Street
(well, not really)
But shamrocks remind me of happy things,
apple bites remind me I'm still hungry (num-num-numz).
Shamrocks are beautiful, while apple bites are edible.
Shamrocks are lucky, while apple bites get a place
in your stomach for a short time. 
If the Irish had apple bites and we had shamrocks,
I would cry myself to sleep every night with joy.
Apple Bites!


"Magic" by Grace Williams

She's standing upon the grassy knoll
her cares are in the wind,
and as the pipes begin to play
she sees the light again
across the green horizons
and into the highland mist.
She's walking with her love,
her hand softly held in his,
rainbows filled with wonder
and questions filled with hope
as the magic wraps them in it's arms
on the mountain's misty slope.


"Where Statements Are Made" by Davina Smith

It isn't very stable or sturdy,
and behind, it looks kind of nerdy.
It stands about 5 feet off the ground, 
holding high the pounds of material
used to make it. 
Reliable and findable, it isn't phased
by the pressure around it. 
It carries itself high,
not torn from the state it is in now.
The green paint hasn't chipped or severed.
I think it's kind of clever.
An object which can make an amazing role model,
a podium - so many famous things happen behind these. 
Speeches like "I have a dream..." 
No one notices it,
though many may smile at my admiration.

Be sure to click here to watch our rendition of the Harlem Shake TPH Style!  We wanted to leave our mark on society!

The Alexander Muse entries were judged on March 21 at Alexander Central High School.  Ms. Duncan, Ms. Isenhour-Stewart, and I will be working to get it together and get it to The Taylorsville Times to be printed for the debut on April 16. 

Our debut party will be held from 3:30 pm  - 5:30 pm on Tuesday, April 16 in the fellowship hall of Taylorsville Presbyterian Church.  It will be exciting to see who placed and hear prose poetry winners performed.

There will be door prizes, delicious refreshments (including apple bites!) provided by the Alexander Friends of the Library, and music from Ghost Named Gertrude, Peter Ippolito, Jared Webb, and Thomas Taylor.  There is no admission fee.  Just come on out and join us!

Until then,
Mel

D.F.T.B.A. YAYAs Give 'An Abundance of Katherines' Thumbs Up

YAYAs love author John Green - especially since many of them got to meet him in the fall of 2011.  We road tripped to Asheville for the privilege.  Check out the video made from that adventure down below.

His book, Paper Towns, was on the YAYA reading list last year and was well received by the teens.  This year, the YAYAs selected Green's An Abundance of Katherines to read and discuss.  Again, this amazing author did not disappoint! 

Hilarious and engaging, the teens said they learned many things from the novel.  Things like what a sitzpinkler is, why shower curtains attack you in the tub, and math functions.  There is even an equation to see if you're a "dumper" or a "dumpee" in Katherines.

YAYA Caleb said he still loved Looking for Alaska best, which was John Green's Michael L. Printz Award winning debut novel.  Guess what we'll be reading next year?

Oh, and if you don't know what D.F.T.B.A. is, John Green has even gotten President Obama to say it. "Don't Forget To Be Awesome!"  You only get one life.  Be it!

Mel

"Musings" Collected and Teen Programs Happen

All entries have been submitted for consideration to be in the 4th publication of The Alexander Muse!  The judges will be going to work to determine the winners and honorable mentions on Thursday, March 21. 

Stay tuned for details on the debut party, which will be held on Tuesday, April 16.  With The Spilled Bean out of business, we have to find a new venue.  Also, we need entertainers!  If any teens would like to entertain the crowd with some music at the debut party, please let me know as soon as possible. 

The YAYAs will be meeting tomorrow, March 5, to discuss John Green's An Abundance of Katherines.  5:30 here at the library.   Hope to see YA'll!

Next Tuesday, March 12, will be the last Teen Poetry Happens for the school year.  Sigh... Can you believe it?  We're calling it "Free For All Lucky, Springy, Green Day!"

We will meet at the basement fellowship hall of Taylorsville Presbyterian Church at 3:30 pm.   Coffee, apple bites, and cake will be the order of the day.  Come hungry and creative!

Good luck to all who submitted items for the Muse!  And thank you!

Mel

Submit Works For Consideration In The Alexander Muse Until February 28, 2013!

The Alexander Muse, Alexander County's very own teen literary magazine, is collecting art, poetry, photography, and short stories until February 28, 2013 to be considered for publication.  Don't miss this opportunity to become a published writer/visual artist while you're in high school.  The 4th edition hits the street April 16, 1013.

The contest is open to all Alexander County teen residents who attend high school.  They may go to Alexander Central, private, alternative, boarding, other area high schools, or be home schooled.

Students may enter as many items in as many categories as they wish.  Teens may only place in one category.

Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place entries in all four categories.  There will be 3 honorable mentions in each category.  All published students will receive 5 copies of the magazine.

Stay tuned to find out where the debut party will be held.  Unfortunately, with The Spilled Bean closing, we will have to find a new venue.  It might be a party in the side yard of the library!  It will all be good, I betcha - We have too much talent around here for it not to be!

If you have items to enter, email them to me at mhager@alexandercountync.gov.   Art drawings or paintings may be dropped off here at the library.

Bring it!
Mel

Acrostic Futures Imagined At January 2013 TPH

A new year brings new opportunities to imagine futures, find new spaces, and create!  The teens, Ms. Duncan, Ms. Is, and I were sad that our beloved coffee house, The Spilled Bean, closed shortly before Christmas.  Our relationship with the original owner, Tim Panza, and then new owner, Shannon Childers, has been special.  We will miss having that place to gather.

With one door closing, the TPH leaders had to scramble to find new digs for our monthly meetings.  We are grateful that Taylorsville Presbyterian graciously offered their basement fellowship hall to us.  Thank you so much!  It appears to work quite well for our needs.

Please remember we are gathering art, poetry, photography, and short stories for the 2013 Alexander Muse which will be published in April. The last day to submit is February 28, 2013. Digital submissions of prose, poetry, and photographs only please, but art can be turned into Alexander Central High School or to me at the library.  There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and 3 honorable mentions per category.  

As you can see below, the teens did not miss a beat in the new locale.  They were as creative, thoughtful, and awesome as ever!  Come and join us next month to see what goodies you can cultivate.

Mel

Twilight Novels Bring Two Libraries Together In Unique Event

Hi All!

On Friday, November 9, 2012, Alexander County Library hosted a Twilight Slumber Party to celebrate the debut of the fifth and final Twilight movie, Breaking Dawn, Part 2.  The movie will be in the theaters this Friday, November 16 at 12 am.  15 ladies attended the event at the library in Taylorsville, NC, ages 12 to 48. 

The Twilight series of four novels and one novella, written by Stephenie Meyer, has subsequently been turned into five movies.  The series has inspired blogs, parties, and book clubs around the world.

As the children’s librarian for Alexander County Library, I knew I wanted a “girls only” lock-in for Twilight.  This type of event usually locks teens in the library after hours, but the love for Twilight extends to adults as well.  Women ages 12 and up were invited.  The ladies played Twilight Trivia and watched all four movies that have been released.

The movies were projected on the wall in the library by a brand new projector.  It was given to Alexander County Library by the Alexander Friends of the Library.  It performed wonderfully on its maiden voyage with over 8 hours of movies.  The library and I thank you, Friends, for your wonderful, and much needed, gift.

I was trying to come up with a neat activity for our Twilight lock-in when I noticed a librarian from Forks, WA had attended the Association for Rural and Small Libraries conference in Raleigh that I went to in September.  Seeing Forks – the setting for the Twilight books – gave me the idea to contact their library and see if we could connect during the lock-in party.

Here I am with Library Director, Laura Crooks, as we pawed through the goody box from Forks!  We discovered we were on opposing teams.

Ellen Matheny, who works for the University of Washington and is a Friend of Forks Public Library, picked up the baton and accepted the challenge of gathering Forks citizens to talk with us at Alexander County Library.  Ms. Matheny also sent a box of goodies to Alexander County Library with items such as T-shirts, bumper stickers, and a Twilight novel stamped with “Compliments of Forks Public Library.”   These were used as prizes for Twilight Trivia.

Ellen Matheny during the video chat via Skype.

The highlight of the evening at the lock-in came when the Forks Public Library connected to the Alexander County Library via Skype at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST.  Marcia Bingham, executive director of the Forks Chamber of Commerce, and several students from Forks High School were among the citizens willing to share their stories of how the Twilight series has affected their town.

According to Bingham, Forks sees over 200,000 tourists each year which swells the local population of 3,500 people tremendously.  They have had visitors from all over the world including Australia, European countries, and Asia.  All of the Forks participants agreed that Twilight has been good for the local economy in the small town located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.

The Twilight series has also brought crazed tourists to Forks.   One teen, whose parents own a restaurant in Forks, told a funny story about waitressing there one day.  One of her tourist customers howled when she ordered her food because she was a fan of the werewolves in the novels.  The Alexander County group laughed for a while over that one.

I really want to thank Alicia Addington and Jennifer Newton for helping me to prepare the evening’s activities.  They also provided Twilight inspired snacks.  

 

Anaia drinks bloody punch to recreate the scene in Breaking Dawn, Part 1 with Bella!  It was made with frozen grape juice, Cheerwine, and chocolate syrup.  Not bad!  Thanks, Rebecca Ratliffe, for sharing this photo!

I am so thankful that Forks Public Library was willing to join Alexander County Library in this endeavor.  It was a unique cultural event to bring two similar sized towns together.  Forks, WA has an incredible story to share since it is the setting for some of the world’s most popular books.

And guess what!  The Forks High School teens said they would like to lock in together with us for the next installment of The Hunger Games movies, Catching Fire, when it comes out.  Won’t that be awesome to have teens from Twilight’s Forks celebrate a different young adult novel, The Hunger Games, with our teens at Alexander County Library?  I can’t wait!

One more note - The Forks Public Library is accepting donations for a new roof.  If you are interested in helping them, let me know and I will give you the information.

                            Watch our video of the night's activities including
                                             the "Starving Bella" reenactment!

Take care!
Mel

 

It was awesome to meet the people of Forks, WA.  There were students from Forks High School who want to lock-in with us for the next Hunger Games Lock-In next fall!