The Manitoba Reading Association Crocus Award for Literacy Advocates has been awarded to our very own Ms. Heather Armstrong, Carman Collegiate Library Technician. Ms. Armstrong was nominated for her firm belief in the need for literacy in the community, that she has taken on the role of being a literacy advocate, and has achieved significant results and made an impact on the advocacy of literacy in her community.
While at Carman Collegiate, she has been designated as the division’s point person for distributing information to the other ten schools’ library staff. She has been responsible for professional development, offering workshops and sessions in areas of interest and need. Heather is also a technology wizard and has provided a prominent position on social media for the school library. She is always willing to assist with others’ technology issues. In addition, Heather has presented at the last two PERC (Pembina Escarpment Reading Council) in-services and also at the 3rd Adolescent Literacy Summit in 2015. She serves as a member of PERC and is an integral supporter of our goal to promote literacy in our southern Manitoba communities.
Ms. Armstrong is involved in facilitating a school radio club that assists students hosting an ongoing radio show for a local station, serving as the advisor for the annual yearbook committee, and co-facilitating a rock band club. In addition she has been a co-leader and participant in a strum club for students and staff at Carman Collegiate. The rock band club hosts a Band-Aid concert at the Active Living Centre providing an opportunity for current and former students to perform. The concert is a fund-raiser for various initiatives in the school or community. They have supported renovations to the community theatre space, to support Haiti relief and to the Red Cross. Not only do the current members of the Rock Band perform, but also former students consistently return to perform which attests to the strength of the program.
Ms. Armstrong states that her greatest compliment is from students, “You always find me good books to read!” Her library space is very noticeably a place where students feel comfortable and definitely a space where students choose to “hang out”. Ms. Armstrong will receive her award on Saturday, June 6.
