Holland Patent Middle School students experienced an inspiring visit from award-winning children’s book author, poet and photographer Charles R. Smith Jr. on April 16.

Mr. Smith captivated students with a presentation on the power of mind, body and spirit for success and conducted two “Power of Poetry” workshops for sixth grade students. In a school-wide effort to maximize the visit's impact, reading and writing, English language arts and even physical education teachers integrated the author's work into their curriculum.

Thanks to The Treehouse Reading and Arts Center, students could purchase books at a discount, and 12 students won books through pre-visit contests designed to build anticipation and familiarity with Mr. Smith's work. The author's accessibility during a lunchtime meet-and-greet, where he signed books and flyers, further enhanced the students' experience.

The event's success was evident in the sixth graders' enthusiastic expressions of gratitude to Mr. Smith. The school hopes the visit will leave a lasting legacy, encouraging students to cultivate their minds, bodies and spirits, engage with reading and writing, pursue their aspirations, value their inspirations and nurture self-belief.

This memorable event was made possible through the support of Principal Lisa Gentile, the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison (OHM) BOCES Arts in Education CoSer and reading and writing teacher Gina Richard, whose expertise in organizing school author visits was invaluable. The school also extends special thanks to librarian Julie Horwat for her vision in initiating the event and to the dedicated Welcoming Committee: Abbigail Howard, Lilah Pitcher, Mia Nadeau, Sophia Toti and Lillian Pincott.

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