http://www.ala.

org/gamert/will-eisner-graphic-novel-grants-libraries

Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grant for Libraries Application Cover Sheet
(Please complete this form & return it with your project proposal)

Date Submitted: March 29, 2014 Applying for (check one): Project Title: Comic Conference Organization / individual Applying: Library/Media Staff at Youth Elementary School Contact e-mail: lalligood@walton.k12.ga.us Telephone: 770-554-0172 Address: Youth Elementary School 4009 Centerhill Church Road Loganville, Georgia 30052 ALA Member Number:2049167 Brief Summary of Project (2 or 3 sentences): We intend to develop community wide interest in graphic novels and promote graphic novels as literature through a mini comic conference to be held in our school media center. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/VALib/v59_n3/pdf/denwiddie.pdf Growth Grant X Innovation Grant _________

Narrative:
Youth Elementary School currently has 178 graphic novels in its holdings. These books are read by a relatively small segment of the school population and only accounted for 3% of the checkouts in February 2014. We would like to see increased circulation of the current holdings among those who already read graphic novels and circulation to a wider segment of the school population including teachers. The intended audience for our comic conference will primarily be the students of Walton County Schools as well as members of the surrounding community.

The event will be advertised via the individual school web-sites as well as the district web-site. Flyers will be sent home with all students in grades pre-K through 5 using our well-established Monday folder communication. Additional flyers will be posted at the middle and high schools. A press release will be generated by the appropriate personnel at the Board Office. Participating and interested vendors will be given posters and flyers for their stores. Prior to the event, all teachers in the county will be challenged to read at least one graphic novel. Media Centers will conduct a graphic novel emphasis in late August. The event will take place in September on a Friday evening and Saturday in our school media center and cafeteria. The timing will be such that parents can buy their child only one costume that can be used for this event, our schools annual book character parade and Halloween. PTO has agreed to provide manpower as well as funds for refreshments and door prizes. Vendors and or Event Tables According to yellowpages.com there are 34 comic book stores and 43 costume shops within a 2 hour radius of our location. Each of these would be contacted about purchasing a table, providing a door prize, etc. The media specialist will plan and decorate a Will Eisner Father of the Graphic Novel display table. Bookstores will be approached about manning a sales table featuring graphic novels. Members of high school clubs related to art, comics, gaming etc. will be invited to attend and will receive a free event table space should they choose to set up a display. The school counselor will provide information on careers in this field. The schools Wii gaming station will be set up for free play. Approximately 10 new graphic novels will be purchased for this event. Teachers will be asked to dress like a character from their book and then introduce the book in a sort of red c arpet catwalk event similar to a fashion show.

Workshops One of our staff members knows the manager of Museum Replicas http://www.museumreplicas.com and will request he send a representative to conduct a workshop on careers in costuming; MR staffers have previously worked at Paramount and on such films as Gladiator, Braveheart, Die Another Day and Saraha. WyzAnt tutoring returned 31 individuals who give lessons in drawing comics. These individuals would be contacted about conducting a workshop.

Free: All attendees will be registered for door prizes and will receive vouchers for a free meal in the cafeteria. Those in costume will be photographed. Pictures will be displayed and voted on for the costume contest.

Advertising: The event will be advertised via the individual school web-sites as well as the district web-site. Flyers will be sent home with all students in grades pre-K through 5 using our well-established Monday folder communication. Additional flyers will be posted at the middle and high schools. A press release will be generated by the appropriate personnel at the Board Office.