The Value of Bookmaking (video)
New York City students, teachers and administrators talk about the impact that the EJK Bookmaking Competition has had on their schools, their jobs and their dreams.
Public Response
The several hundred winning books are exhibited at a branch library for one month in the spring, and are read to classes during library visits. Parents and children return again and again to the library to look at their favorite books. Many people comment on the excellence of the books and request that they remain part of the library’s permanent collection, which, unfortunately, is not possible. After the exhibition, the books are returned to the children who created them.
Outcome
This project is a dramatic demonstration of the effectiveness of an arts-in-education program in enriching a reading program. The books that are produced represent an incredible amount of work by children and educators. Recognizing and rewarding that effort with a medal, a certificate, an announcement, names in a printed program and a check is a well-deserved and inexpensive investment in the future. Participants gain a love and respect for the printed word, and have a greater ability to express themselves verbally and graphically. Children who collaborate on a book learn about the problems and the power of teamwork to achieve a common goal. They have more self-confidence, self-esteem and pride in their work, and perhaps a developing ambition for the future. For parents, it is encouragement and an appreciation for the much-maligned educational system that provides for their child. And for the educator, it is recognition, appreciation for a job well done and encouragement to continue investing that kind of effort. This type of program merits replication. It can be modified easily to fit any school or school system.
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