In celebration of Black Children's Book Week, CCSD is collaborating with Friends of Athens-Clarke County Library, Books for Keeps, and Joy Village on a virtual Black Author Showcase on Feb. 28 and March 1.

At 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, a panel of five local student authors, including three CCSD students, will discuss books they have written and answer questions during an event streamed live from Gaines Elementary. Scheduled panelists from CCSD include:

• Avery Lewis, a seventh-grade student at Clarke Middle. Her first book, March, March, March!, was published during her fifth-grade year at Timothy Road Elementary through Leap for Literacy, a non-profit organization founded by Stan Tucker.
• Arieyonna Flint, a kindergartener at J.J. Harris Elementary. Arieyonna is the author of Butterflies Can Draw Everything.
• Kyrie Daniel, a kindergarten student at Gaines Elementary. He is the author of My Mom and Dad and a Tree.

The event will open with a storytelling performance by Mr. Stephen Nobles, CCSD's Governance and Flexibility Specialist, whose YouTube channel, Storytime with Mr. Stephen, encourages children locally and throughout the nation to find joy in reading.

On Wednesday, March 1, at 9:30 a.m., there will be a special virtual author visit featuring renowned poet, educator, publisher, and author Kwame Alexander.

CCSD classrooms will stream both events for their students, and the public can view the events at the Athens-Clarke County Library, located at 2025 Baxter St., Athens.

Students are invited to submit their questions for both the student authors and Kwame Alexander here in advance of the events.

Click here to read the full press release from the library.