VIN'S PEOPLE: Manatee School District inviting volunteers for book-vetting process
When young Jayden took his seat recently in the kindergarten classroom at Oneco Elementary he knew something wasn’t right.
The nearby book case was empty.
“What did you do with my books?” his teacher recalled him asking.
I read with Jayden weekly in the Books for Kids program and his reaction probably mirrored that of many schoolchildren around the Manatee School District after teachers removed books or covered up materials in their classroom libraries that have not been vetted in accordance with state law.
Well, how would you like to help get books vetted and back on those shelves?
The school district is seeking volunteers for this process. Folks can visit manateeschools.net/volunteer to complete an application.
Once notified the application is approved – or if you are already registered with the district as a volunteer – you can email jordand2@manateeschools.net and request the link to the Sign-Up Genius website, which lists schools needing assistance.
Volunteers will not be asked to review books, per se, but will receive directions at the school for helping catalog books for a list.
Let’s do this and get those books back for kids like Jayden.
· Coach Steve Olsen is 81 years young.
· That’s four years of wedded bliss for ABC7 news anchor Rebecca Vargas and Braden River High head football coach Curt Bradley. What’s more, the couple just learned that wily ol’ stork is due in July and son Luca is going to be a big brother.
· Cheryl Frank is 39. Again.
· Friends of Kids Against Hunger holds another packaging event Saturday, 8 a.m., at Kendrick Auditorium, 1303 17th St. W., Palmetto. Volunteers are welcome.
It’s sponsored by the Bradenton Kiwanis Club and folks will package 50,000 meals for organizations like Our Daily Bread, Feeding Empty Little Tummies and church food pantries.
RSVP to Mark Hildebrandt at mark@kiwanisagainsthunger.com .
· Say it ain’t so! Kathleen Ellis-Schrader is one year shy of the Big 5-0!
· Retired Manatee County Court Judge Bob Farrance, who served from 1999 to 2020, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Manatee Salvation Army.
· April Arvan is 55 years young.
· Well done to Parrish Community High’s girls soccer team and repeat district champions.
Coached by Nicole Paternostro and assisted by Jon Mentzer, Cara Gingras and Gabriel Mazo, the Bulls are seniors Sara Dornelas, Emily Evans, Brooke Gillaspy, Jordan Martinez, Emily Mentzer and Emily Sergi, juniors Brianne Bonzheim, Hayden Lepley, Luiza Porto, Isabel Silverio and Sydney Weslowski, sophomores Zana Anderson, Natalie Greenhaw, Alize Karst, Madison Malanowicz, Alanah Risser, Gabriella Sniffen, Ashley Wagner and Avaya Wright, and freshmen McKenzie Clay, Aleah Kilan, Madison Johnson, Ana Martinez, Amaya Oyola and Bella Santora.
· Kimberly Andricks is 34.
· And big ups to Braden River High’s boys soccer team – district champions for the first time in school history.
Coached by Braden Chandler and assisted by Omar Benjoud, Brian Cooper and Brian Langley, the Pirates are seniors Justin Brown, William King, Jonah Patterson, Luis Philpotts and Erick Zelaya, juniors Bautista Bahurlet, Jeyson Carbella Ramirez, Zackary Groth, Joseph Hannaseck, Joseph Joumayyed, Kyle Langley, Ruben Medina, Lucas Parrish and Victoriano Perez Parra, sophomores Aiden Hammer, Brunno Reus and Javier Rubalcava Ochoa, freshmen Esteban Benjoud, Ronaldo Cruz and Paolo Morales-Garcia.
Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: VIN'S PEOPLE: Manatee Schools seek volunteers to assist book vetting
