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Pleasant Vale Elementary librarian Mary Lassiter (left) and English teacher Carrie Vanover pose in the school's library.
Pleasant Vale Elementary librarian Mary Lassiter and English teacher Carrie Vanover pose in the school's library.
Pleasant Vale Elementary librarian Mary Lassiter talks to student Presley Schultz about a book during the district's Scholastic book fair.
Pleasant Vale Elementary librarian Mary Lassiter and English teacher Carrie Vanover pose in the school's library.
ENID, Okla. — The Pleasant Vale Elementary library hosts a number of events each year to educate its students in history, art and culture, while planting seeds to instill a personal love for reading and learning.
The library hosts new and familiar activities each year, and with the dawn of the spring semester staff hosted a historical reenactment program and are looking forward to offering students art classes and a book fair.
“Our students really look forward to the historical reenactments put on by Chautauqua each year,” said Carrie Vanover, English teacher for grades 5-6. “The students get to hear from a character from history tell their story and then ask them questions to get a better understanding of the history. It’s a phenomenal program that they look forward to every year because its fun, and we enjoy because it’s so well done.”
Northwest Oklahoma Trending is a special section that will publish in the Enid News & Eagle on select Weekend editions in January, Februar…
The historical reenactments are sponsored by Chautauqua Council of Enid, which provides scholars in history to perform programs in character at schools, including the Pioneer-Pleasant Vale district.
At Pleasant Vale, Elsa Wolff, a Denver scholar, played the role of Maria Von Trapp for students in grades 4-6. She told real life story of the woman made famous through the 1965 musical “The Sound of Music,” and students were able to ask questions and get to know the character beyond the movie.
Pleasant Vale Elementary librarian Mary Lassiter (left) and English teacher Carrie Vanover pose in the school's library.
Up next, the library is preparing its rooms for Art Smart, an art class that teaches technique but also history and expression.
“We’ve hosted the Art Smart program since at least 2009, and it always is a major hit with the kids,” said Mary Lassiter, library coordinator. “Leonardo’s (Children’s Museum) of Enid provides all of the materials — the canvases, brushes, paints and pens — and a seasoned instructor who teaches not only how to paint or draw but the history and artist of a specific time that the students then try to mimic in their own way. It adds so much excitement for the students being able to learn hands-on.”
Art Smart is made possible by personal contributors from the community as well as grants that help pay to bring the program to the school, Lassiter says. The Pioneer-Pleasant Vale Academic Foundation, Enid Arts Council and a plethora of other Enid and area businesses award grants each year to provide such a program to each grade for two class periods over the course of 3-6 weeks.
At Pleasant Vale, Lassiter says that every dollar awarded is not only stretched to provide the best classes but goes toward developing well-rounded students.
“Art Smart really is much more than an art class,” Lassiter says. “It’s an opportunity for students to learn about artists and history and mediums and techniques to have that knowledge to make them cultured and more well-rounded for anything they pursue ahead.”
To keep the knowledge fresh in the students’ minds, Lassiter says the school has developed an art gallery down one of the hallways that showcases artists’ works from the classes for students to enjoy and remember. Lassiter says students regularly point out and remember history behind the art, which is credited to the Art Smart class.
“In my nine years of serving in the library I’ve seen how the class also is such a team-building class,” Lassiter said. “It’s a time where I watch students encourage each other and see that their art doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. It helps them learn that they don’t necessarily have to know how to draw but just to express themselves, and that really is art.”
Pleasant Vale Elementary librarian Mary Lassiter talks to student Presley Schultz about a book during the district's Scholastic book fair.
As Art Smart comes to a close, the faculty of Pleasant Vale urge their students to keep learning in a hands-on way through its annual library Scholastic book fair.
“We work with Scholastic for our book fair, and they always give us phenomenal resources to use and prepare,” Lassiter says. “They give us boxes, like crates, of books that we sort through to find and offer (what) we think will best appeal to our kids. It’s fun seeing the students coming down the hall excited to look for their favorite author, next book in a series or just something fun and new. All of our students are welcome, and we want to make sure we put books in the hands of every student who wants one.”
To make this possible, Lassiter said she receives donations from the community to give to students who would like to purchase a book but don’t have the money. The way the school and community come together help not only the library but the students it serves.
“We are surrounded by a very caring community that genuinely cares about our kids,” Lassiter said. “Our goal at the library is to inspire children to learn to love reading and develop that into a lifelong skill and passion. To do this, we have to get the books into their hands, which our entire school — from the teachers to the faculty and administration as well as community members outside the school walls — helps encourage.”
Jenny Harris, transitional first grade teacher, is one of those teachers.
“It is uncommon to have an elementary school library like ours,” Harris said. “Ten years ago when I started, Pleasant Vale didn’t have a library aide or program, and now it’s full of books that the kids are genuinely interested in because Mary has put in so much time to invest in the kids and know what they like and what their interests are. She has taught us how to help kids get interested in reading no matter their level or interest, which helps us encourage them to read and learn. That’s built momentum for the whole community.”
Northwest Oklahoma Trending is a special section that will publish in the Enid News & Eagle on select Weekend editions in January, February, March and April 2024. The sections are designed to feature individuals, businesses and organizations in Enid and Northwest Oklahoma that work every day for the betterment of the region and its residents and tell the story of your hometown.
Northwest Oklahoma Trending is a special section that will publish in the Enid News & Eagle on select Weekend editions in January, Februar…
Northwest Oklahoma Trending is a special section that will publish in the Enid News & Eagle on select Weekend editions in January, Februar…
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