Texas Library Association Annual Conference 2010

The TLA Annual Conference was held this year in San Antonio. I love San Antonio but with "global warming" making spring weather everywhere a little crazy, we librarians had to carry umbrellas and sweaters with us everyday of this year's conference. But even the daily drizzle couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of this librarian as she attended workshops, presentations and strolled through the exhibit halls.

Among the presentations I attended were some on creating library centers and learning experiences around the elementary science TEKS, using props and magic with storytelling, and tips for developing an effective presentation toolkit. I am excited about sharing some of these ideas with teachers at Moye and using some of these ideas with my Moye babies. As the TLA District 6 councilor, I am beginning to get involved with TLA on a deeper level and look forward to having a voice in next year's conference. I have also been chosen for the Bluebonnet Reading Program selection committee and will serve a three year term, selecting the books that are among the 20 Bluebonnet nominees during my stead.

I attended the Bluebonnet Reading Program Award luncheon and even met winning author and illustrator, sister Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel, respectively. Their book Help Me, Mr. Mutt! was the second place choice among Moye 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. We chose Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, which was the second place winner state-wide.

Each evening after a day at the conference, my sister Valerie, a librarian in Spring, Texas, and I would return to our hotel room and scrapbook. We had photographs, stickers and scrapbook paper all over our beds. Great fun!

I would like to thank my principal, Alicia Ayala, for finding money in the school budget to help me with the expenses of this trip. I hope by sharing some of what I learned, all of us at Moye can benefit from the great presentations at TLA 2010.

Bluebonnet Luncheon April 2009

On April 1, 2009, Moye 5th grader Gisel Fregoso traveled on an airplane for the very first time in her life. She flew to Houston, Texas with her mother, where she spent the night in a hotel, another first, then represented District 6 and H.R. Moye Elementary the next day as one of ten student representatives chosen to attend the Bluebonnet Award luncheon.

Gisel and the nine other student representatives enjoyed a special breakfast with the 2009 Bluebonnet Award winning author and illustrator, Cynthia DeFelice and Andrea U'Ren. Following breakfast, the children, Ms. DeFelice and Ms. Uren posed for pictures and then each child was given a backpack full of goodies, including a copy of the winning Bluebonnet book, One Potato, Two Potato to have autographed.

At the luncheon, Gisel was the belle of ball, sitting at table 6, among District 6 TLA representatives, members of the Bluebonnet selection committee, her mother and ME! She and the other children introduced themselves and the winning author and illustrator to an audience of more than 1000 TLA members. After lunch, Gisel toured the exhibit hall and received several gifts of books, bookmarks and posters from many of the publishers. Gisel returned home with the experience of her young life. It was a whirlwind, 24 hours adventure for Gisel, who represented H.R. Moye so well.