Faith DeVeaux, author of "When Duty Calls," was a featured speaker for two classes of 7th graders at Williston Middle School in Wilmington, N.C. She later had a book reading and signing at the local Barnes and Noble.

Newspaper: Wilmington Morning Star
Section: New Hanover County Neighbors, page 1 (continued on pg. 6)
Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2001
By: Cass Chapman, Star-News Correspondent

Papier mache dragonflies and butterflies hang in the windows, catching the sunlight and using it to illuminate the spirit of customers at Wilmington’s Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

The children’s art is innocent, it’s uplifting, and it shed totally new light on simple, everyday objects. Through Nov. 17, there will be an array of it by the children of Williston Middle School, proudly hanging in the windows and around the store.

In addition to the colorful recreations of nature, the students created ceramic gargoyles and other forms of pottery.

The art display is one of many events ongoing this month as Barnes & Noble partners with Williston.

The events include a drama performance of Diamonds in the Rough, an open mic poetry night, music performances and even a technology night expo. Inside you’ll find an array of pastels and even artwork based around a math class.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Debbie Pratt, community relations manager at Barnes and Noble, said before the series of events began. “The response has been excellent because people love children’s art. They beat down the doors to tell us how wonderful it is.”

Several similar projects have been organized with private schools in previous years, but this is the first one that involves a public school.

Many of the authors already lined up for promotional book signings and readings during November have visited the students of Williston Middle School to talk with them about their writing experiences. Today, author Richard Cote, author of Redneck Riviera, will be meeting with Williston’s language, art and social studies classes. Other authors involved in the events are FAITH DEVEAUX and Kay Gilley, both of whom will be speaking with students and signing copies of their new books.

“We feel it will be really good for the children to showcase their work,” said Williston principal William Hatch. “All the different disciplines will be shown, and we feel Barnes and Noble is an excellent arena for that. We want to encourage reading more than anything, and this is one way to do that. We want the children to be lifelong learners.”

An open mic poetry evening on Monday, will feature readings by Williston students of their personal myths, narratives and poetry. The theme for the evening is “Close the Book on Hate.” Barnes and Noble and the Anti-Defamation League launched this campaign in September 2000 to help end prejudice and its ensuing violence across America. The students’ work will reflect how this theme affects them and what it means to them.

The “Technology Night Expo” being held on Tuesday is designed to show how the Internet, digital cameras, and many Web-based activities are being incorporated into today’s classrooms.

The Family Science Night will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday. It will, no doubt, prove educational and fun for both children and adults.

“A Day at Barnes & Noble” on Nov. 17 will wrap up the marathon of events. Art, music and drama performances by the students will come together throughout the day. Ted Zrudlo will be in the children’s section of the store that morning with his new book Camelia the Bald. Author Anne Russell will also be present, promoting the reprint of her ever-popular 1983 book, Seabiscuit, Wild Pony of the Outer Banks.

So, if you want an opportunity to make learning fun and unique for your children, a chance to enjoy the originality of young students’ creativity or maybe even learn something new yourself, Barnes & Noble is the place to be this month.

For more information, contact Barnes and Noble at 395-4825 or drop by the store - 322 S. College Road.