June 19, 6:30 - 8 p.m.:
The Centerville community and schools are coming together on a reading project this summer that will help some students meet an academic requirement while opening up a conversation about refugees, their homelands and their adap- tion to a new life.
The Commu nity Read project, centered around the book “United Outcasts,” will continue throughout the summer and into July where residents will meet to discuss the book.
The partnership between the schools and the library is an effort to help curb the “summer slide” and keep Centerville City Schools students reading over the summer.
“I think what’s great about this is it was a collaborated effort with the school and library,” said Centerville City Schools Assistant Superintendent Bob Yux. “The first year went fairly well. Students learned a lot from this experience and it enhances value of reading.”
The Centerville Library has conducted the Community Read project for three years. This is the second year the school district has participated.
It is unclear how many people in the community are reading the book, but over 2,800 high school students are taking part, according to the library.
The book, “United Out- casts” by Warren St. John, tells the true story of young refugees from different coun- tries arriving in the United States, settling in a small Georgia town, and coming together as soccer team under the direc tion of a coach who had arrived in the United States as a refugee before them. The book also focuses on the refugees’ impact on the town.
“Typically the best books for a community reading ini- tiative are books that have some sort of topic that has differing perspectives,” Geor- gia Mergler, community rela- tions manager for Centerville Library. “The point of this is to after reading, be able to discuss it with other people and talk about it and bring up issues that are important to our lives now,” she said.
All of t he “Outcasts United” books have been checked out of the Centerville Library and there is a wait list. However the library working with other libraries to access copies of the book for those who want to read this story.
“They didn’t choose to be born in countries where there is religious persecution or war happening where that is all they know and then they come to the United States and they don’t speak the language,” Mergler said. “This is just an interesting spring board for a conversation about topics that are important today.”
The library will host events related to the themes of the book. June events include: There will be a screening of the documentary film, “God Grew Tired of Us.” The film tracks the lives of three immigrants who travel to the United States.
June 22, 6:30 - 8 p.m.:
Refugee 101 will feature information on the refugee resettlement process, including explaining the differences between refugees and immigrants.
June 29, 6:30 - 8 p.m.:
Local refugees will share there stories.
These events will be held at the Centerville Library, 111 West Spring Valley Road.
Book discussions will be held in July. For more information, contact the Washington-Centerville Public Library at wclibrary.info.