MVA Library Newsletter

This newsletter is full of events and opportunities. We hope you read all the way to the end!

If you haven't stopped in to the library, we encourage you to do so in the next two months. Right now you can see our Lunar New Year display, celebrating the Year of the Snake. We also have a writing challenge you can participate in.

Library Calendar

2/5 - Library Closed for Science Fair

2/10 - Lunar New Year Writing Challenge Ends

2/12 - Make a Duct Tape Rose at Lunch

2/12-3/21 - Blind Date With a Book Challenge

2/13 - Club Odin Lunch Meeting

2/18 - Library Closed for Viking Parent Shadow Day

2/18 - 5:30 pm Meet New SD Poet Laureate, Paola Capó-García (not affiliated with MVA)

2/23 - South Bay Zine Fest (not affiliated with MVA)

3/6 - Club Odin Lunch Meeting

3/7 - MVA Field Trip to Chicano Park

3/8 - Teen Writers Conference at CCA (not affiliated with MVA)

3/10 - Author Maria Aguila Visits the Library Period 1

3/17-3/20 - Zine Making in the Library at Lunch

4/1 - CATE Student Writing Contest Due (not affiliated with MVA)

To celebrate Lunar New Year choose one creative writing challenge. Turn it in to Ms. Vattuone in the library via email, gina.vattuone@sweetwaterschools.org or a paper copy by February 10th. Participating students will earn 5-Star points. The QR Code provides you with information about Chinese/Lunar New Year.

1. Create a dialogue or short scene where a fortune cookie message comes true in a surprising way.

2. Write a mystery story where the animals of the Chinese zodiac, especially the snake, must solve a problem related to the New Year.

3. Write a dramatic scene about a child receiving a red envelope with a surprising gift inside.

4. Imagine going on an adventure to the Lantern Festival. Describe the sights, sounds, and experiences along the way.

5. Create a scene between family members eating a meal to celebrate the lunar new year. It could be tense, funny or heartwarming.

Wednesday, February 5th - Science Fair (Library Closed NB & LUNCH)

Monday, February 10 & Tuesday, February 11 - SW Counselor Visits ((Library Closed NB & LUNCH)

Tuesday, February 18 - Viking Parent Shadow Day (Library Closed NB & LUNCH)

Friday, March 7th - Chicano Park Field Trip (Library Closed NB & LUNCH)

Starting February 12th and ending March 21 Viking students have the opportunity to participate in the annual "Blind Date with a Book" challenge. Select a wrapped book. Read the first chapter. Get a review slip from the library or inside your book. Write a minimum 3 sentence review. Submit your review to Ms. Martinez or Ms. Vattuone to earn a prize. See above for some sentence starters & vocabulary. You can also read the Blue Lock review below for inspiration, although yours does not need to be as long.

Rules:

* Reviews must use at least 3 full sentences.

* Reviews should be proof-read and use standard grammar & spelling.

* No limit on how many review you submit.

Tips:

Book reviews are often written for different purposes. But ideally, they’re created so that they can help other readers decide if the book is a good fit for them. Afterall, that’s usually why we seek out reviews! To help us choose our next read, or book buy.

A good book review doesn’t necessarily have to be positive but it should be balanced. Ideally a good book review will be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of a book among other things.

We had originally planned to have a library club meeting this Thursday. But, because there is a food fair, I wanted to give you all a chance to do that. So, the next Club Odin meeting will be Thursday, February 13th at lunch. We will be discussing & planning our upcoming events.

Black History is American history. Every February, we learn the American history that must be central to any true study of our country.

And, this is not a lesson for February alone. The history of Black people, and of the influence Black people have on this nation, cannot be contained within 28 days. We know that Black history is not a set of facts that we must learn solely to further the important goals of diversity and representation.

Black History is American history.

So, as we learn Black History year-round, we unlearn the lies perpetuated across generations. We think deeply about who and what made this country what it is and what it can be.

Black history is American ingenuity and innovation. You see it in Lewis Latimer patenting the first carbon filament for the electric lightbulb. It's there as Ruane Jeter invented the first digital toaster. You can hear it when Chuck Berry created Rock-n-Roll.

Black history is patriotism. It is remembered in the countless soldiers who fought in the Civil War, the World Wars, and every military engagement since. Brave men and women protect our country even as it denies them basic rights and freedoms. Their legacy is our history.

Black history is the ongoing American pursuit of truth and justice. You can track it through Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks. It is evident in the push for civil rights, and for environmental justice, and the campaign to end mass incarceration. We pursue truth and justice when we assert that Black Lives Matter. It’s the pursuit of happiness, of freedom, and becoming better and more aware as a country and as a people that is core to who we are.

Throughout our history, there were and are Black people pushing the United States to be a better, more just, and freer nation.

But it is not enough to celebrate all that Black people have done for this country in the face of oppression and injustice. We must also examine that oppression and injustice. And how it must be disrupted. That too, is a vital lesson of American history.

In preparation for Maria Aguila's author visit on March 10th, students have the opportunity for 45 students to go on a all-day field trip to Chicano Park on March 7th. Ms. Aguila's book, Barrio Rising, is a historical fiction account of the community activism behind San Diego’s Chicano Park.

Chicano Park is the geographic and emotional heart of Barrio Logan, located in Logan Heights, San Diego's oldest Mexican-American neighborhood. The park is home to the largest concentration of Chicano murals in the world, with more than 100 paintings on seven acres. We will visit the murals & museum.

We have only 45 spots available. Permission slips will be available starting Monday, February 10th. They are due Monday, February 24th.

Students may not be on the NPL. Students are responsible to make up any missed work.

Sign Up Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScW0DJk6dQWrN3UqBVAc90GrurL4POS5eJQ8-HN-IvVHr07fw/viewform?usp=sharing

Review from Renee Scott, a young adult librarian based in NYC published in the School Library Journal, August 12, 2022

After a crushing defeat in the 2018 World Cup, Japan’s soccer team needs to regroup. In hopes of regaining that competitive edge, the Japan Football (soccer to us Americans) Union gathers 300 of its best players in a no-holds-barred training (more like prison) to select the best of the best. One of those players is Isagi Yoichi, a forward whose team recently lost a chance to play Nationals. After receiving an invitation to this unorthodox ”player improvement” program called Blue Lock, Isagi finds himself literally playing for his life to make the team.

I found this story to be a mix of Haikyu!!!, with a dash of Deadman Wonderland, Squid Game, and every other Battle Royale (points if you get the reference) setting ever made. These players are literally in a prison-like setting, with Jinpachi Ego being their overseer who gives off villainous vibes (ex. he’s extremely creepy and egotistical *no pun intended*). While no one is killed (yet?) in the first volume, Blue Lock tends to be leaning towards a sinister agenda. Anyone who fails the Blue Lock program will no longer be allowed to compete for Japan again.

The artwork is very reminiscent of Haikyu!!!, with the action beautifully illustrated. The story, like the sport, is high octane and easy to follow. There’s never a dull moment within Blue Lock and as a reader, you hope for the best for not only Isagi but also the players he becomes close to, especially Rin Itoshi, who Isagi admires despite the fact that Rin was on the team that defeated Isagi’s.

This one is especially for the "Badoodoos" (IYKYK). Tracy Badua will be one of the speakers at the March 8th 2025 CCA Creative Writers Conference 8:00-3:00.

The Canyon Crest Academy High School Creative Writing Club hosts a free creative writing conference for local middle & high school students.

Register HERE

Saturday, Mar 8, 2025 at 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM PST

Canyon Crest Academy High School, 5951 Village Center Loop Road, San Diego, CA, 92130, United States. Instagram: @ccacreativewriting

14th annual CCA Creative Writers Conference where many authors speak and present workshops to middle and high school students.

2025 Writing Prompt

How has an aspect of pop culture impacted how you see yourself or how you engage with an important issue in your world?

Use the above prompt to write a short essay, story, or poem.

Deadline for submissions: April 1, 2025

Each year CATE will host a writing contest, with a prompt publicized in California English and on CATEweb. Any teacher may submit up to three student entries, which must be original work from the current school year. Entries must be sent to and judged in the local council where the teacher’s school is located before they are eligible for statewide consideration. Counties and local contacts for submission are included in the flyer. Awards will be given in six divisions: Grades 3-4; Grades 5-6; Grades 7-8; Grades 9-10; Grades 11-12; and College.

Statewide winners in each division will be published in California English.

https://www.cateweb.org/contests-awards/creative-writing-contest/

San Diego’s Museum Month 2025 will be BIGGER and MORE FUN with more than 70 museums, historic sites, gardens, zoos, aquariums and more starting February 1!

Starting January 27, you can pick up a Museum Month pass at any San Diego Public Library! Present your pass for half price admission for up to four people at 70+ museums around San Diego County from February 1 -28.

*No purchase necessary to receive a free San Diego Museum Month Pass. Cannot be combined with other offers, coupons, or discounts including the Balboa Explorer Pass. Limit one pass per person. Not valid for groups larger than 4 people. Half-price is based on full general admission prices. May not be valid for specially ticketed exhibits, events, or films. Some restrictions apply. Please call museum(s) before visiting to inquire.

https://sandiegomuseumcouncil.org/specials/museum-month/

The first South Bay Zine Fest will take place at

Illusion Hall on Third Avenue, Chula Vista on

February 23, 2025, 9am-3pm

FREE

Check this website for updates.

A zine (pronounced ZEEN) is short for "fanzine" and is usually a small-batch, independently published work that circulates less than 1,000 copies. Anyone can be a zinester (aka "someone who creates a zine"), and most people make zines for the love of creating rather than for seeking a profit. In general, a zine is a pamphlet-like publication that can include text, images, artwork, found objects, or any other creative material that helps to express the author's message.

Want to learn more? https://www.binderymke.com/what-is-a-zine

Want to Make Your Own Zine? Come to the Library at Lunch 3/17-3/20. 😎

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
Gr 3–6 —When Malú has to move away from her dad, she takes her love of punk music with her. Malú’s zine-inspired artistry illustrates her life and the book.

Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger
Gr 7 Up —John escapes his unhappy home life by reading zines, including Escape Velocity by Marisol, whom he befriends.

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu
Gr 8 Up —While her mom raged against the machine and published feminist zines in her youth, Viv keeps a low profile—until now.

Gabi: a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
Gr 9 Up —Gabi Hernandez has lots to deal with, including that her dad is addicted to meth. Blisteringly honest diary entries and poetry create a powerful voice.

The city of San Diego has a new cultural ambassador. Paola Capó-García, an educator and teaching mentor originally from Puerto Rico, has been selected by the city as its third Poet Laureate from 2025 through 2027. The City’s Poet Laureate is an ambassador for poetry, spoken word and literary arts. Capó-García succeeds Jason Magabo Perez, who served from 2022 to 2024.

“I’ve dedicated my life to poetry and poetry education, so serving San Diego, the city I love so much, as Poet Laureate is a dream come true,” said Capó-García. “As a high school educator, I’ve seen firsthand how poetry helps young people embrace their identities and draw this big world in a little closer.

“When we read and write poetry, we cultivate empathy, ambition, critical thinking, and collaboration. I look forward to building on the work of past Poet Laureates and celebrating the transformative power of language.”

During her term, Capó-García says she hopes to create original and inclusive works intended to engage San Diegans through poetry, inspire critical thinking, and foster deeper community connections. She will also lead poetry projects. For her capstone project as the Poet Laureate, Capó-García says she hopes to compile a series of bilingual publications of work by San Diego and Tijuana poets.

But beyond that project, she also envisions hosting creative workshops where people can bring their poetry to life by merging it with other art forms, such as screen printing or video poetics.

Capó-García will start her term Feb. 18 with a reading and discussion at the

San Diego Central Library at 5:30 p.m.

330 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
(Downtown East Village, Park Boulevard at 11th Avenue, near Petco Park)
Phone: 619-236-5800

Poem in which I have wisdom.

Poem in which I have a father.

Poem in which I care.

Poem in which I am from another country.

Poem in which I Spanish.

Poem in which flowers are important.

Poem in which I make pretty gestures.

Poem in which I am a Deceptacon.

Poem in which I am a novelist.

Poem in which I use trash.

Poem in which I am a baby.

Poem in which I swaddle.

Poem in which I bathe.

Poem in which I am a box.

Poem in which its face is everything.

Poem in which faces are everywhere.

Poem in which I swear.

Poem in which I take an oath.

Poem in which I make a joke.

Poem in which I can’t move.

Camp O’Connor USA is a free, merit-based summer program for middle school students with a mission to educate, encourage and inspire the next generation of leaders. Participants in our civics day camp gain a deeper, experiential understanding of our nation's democracy, branches of government, and the duties and responsibilities of citizenship.

Monday, June 9 - Friday, June 13, 2025

ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

Application Deadline Friday, March 28, 2025

Ms. Vattuone is HAPPY TO HELP you with the application!

Details

This five-day summer day-camp provides current 7th and 8th graders with a unique, educational civics experience blended with leadership development. Camp O'Connor USA helps to prepare future leaders for greater participation in our democracy and strengthens their potential for lifelong success.

Camp O'Connor USA takes place at Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University .

Apply HERE

The application consists of three sections:

• Student application
• Parent recommendation
• Teacher/Coach/Mentor recommendation (contact email needed)

If you have any questions, please contact camp@oconnorinstitute.org

Benefits

• Empower and increase campers’ understanding of civics, American government and their important role as citizens
• Fortify the leadership skills and confidence of students
• Encourage Camp graduates to become role models and leaders in their schools and communities

https://neverabother.org/

Sometimes it may feel like the world isn’t listening and no one understands. But you are not alone. Friends and trained pros can reconnect you with your reasons to keep going, and show you ways to cope with difficult days.

Get Help Now: Whether it’s a low point, a crisis, or something you can’t exactly put into words, get help for yourself or a friend, call or text 988 to get help, 24/7.

Regardless of your immigration or citizenship status, you have constitutional rights:

• You have the right to remain silent. If you wish to exercise that right, say so out loud.
• You have the right to refuse to consent to a search of yourself, your car or your home.
• If you are not under arrest, you have the right to calmly leave.
• You have the right to a lawyer if you are arrested. Ask for one immediately.

Know Your Rights Cards

Every family should have a Family Preparedness Plan. While it is our hope that you never have to use your plan, it is a good practice to have one in place to help reduce the stress of the unexpected. This packet will help everyone create a Family Preparedness Plan, regardless of immigration status. However, because of the additional challenges immigrant and mixed status families face, we also have additional advice for immigrants.

English
https://www.ilrc.org/sites/default/files/resources/family_preparedness_plan_v3-20170323.pdf

Spanish
https://www.ilrc.org/sites/default/files/resources/plan_de_preparacion_familiar.v3.pdf

October-December MVA Library Newsletter

July-October MVA Library Newsletter