Lewis wins 2019 MAE Award for Best Literature Program for Teens    

    CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), awarded Cicely Lewis, School Librarian at Meadowcreek High School in  Georgia, the 2019  Margaret A. Edwards (MAE) Award for Best Literature Program for Teens for her “Read Woke” program.

    “Read Woke is not just a reading challenge; it is a movement!” described Lewis in her application. “What is Read Woke? It’s a feeling. A form of education. A call to action, and our right as lifelong learners. It means     arming yourself with knowledge to better protect your rights. Learning     about others so you treat people with respect and dignity, no matter their religion, race, creed, or color.”

    The MAE Award provides $500 to the recipient and $500 to the recipient’s     library and is sponsored by the  Margaret A. Edwards Trust .

    The application form for the MAE Award for Best Literature Program is available in the Grants and Awards section of the YALSA website. Applications must be received by Dec. 1, 2019.

    The MAE Award Jury members are: Chair Catherine Boddie, Arapahoe (Colorado)     Libraries; Kathleen J. Barker, Rutgers University; Lisa W. Brennan, St. Christopher’s School, Richmond, VA; Karen R. Lemmons, Detroit School of Arts, Detroit, MI; and Lorraine Y. Roussin, San Antonio (Texas) Independent School District.

    The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is to     support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in     putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to    www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or email: yalsa@ala.org.