The Reflection phase
REflections
Emma's This project has been a great opportunity for me to work on my communication skills and being able to do a long-term project. I never thought that I could actually build a library! I have never worked harder on anything in my life. I was able to spend time with my best friend and make something worthwhile.
When we first began the project, it was very tedious work. While we may not have had a solid plan in the beginning, once we knew what we were doing there was no stopping us. We spent long days building the library and even longer nights thinking about what we could do next. It was all worth it. I love helping people and I can't wait to do more to help my community. Our free library gave me the confidence I needed to know that I can do amazing things. We wouldn't have been able to get anywhere without the help of the people in our community. The first person I need to thank is Mrs. MacDonald. She was always there for us when we needed help and she has been a very lovely friend. I also need to thank Mr. Andrews for supporting us and for helping put the free library in. I can't forget about Marvin for whom we would have been lost without. I need to thank my dad as well. He helped me know what to do and was always there when we messed up. Without these people, our free library would just be a thought in our heads. Thank you for all of your support! I am very grateful for this opportunity to do something for my community and I am grateful for my best friend. Without her we wouldn't even have a website. She encourages me constantly and makes me smile with her endless optimism. Thank you, Sheila, for being my partner and for being my friend. |
Sheila's Our Lawton Chiles community project is possibly the greatest thing that ever happened to me. When we first started this, Emma and I just knew that we wanted to work together. We never thought that what we ended up doing was even a possibility. It was like magic to watch it happen. The one day I spent with Emma and Marvin at Lowe's getting our materials, I remember it as one of the happiest days of my entire life. When we first got this project all we could agree on was that our project would be educational. The best we could think of was to inform people about the importance of education or a reseach study. Not only did we do that, we now have a standing structure that spreads knowledge and wonder into the heart and mind of any person who opens the door.
I'll admit, the process was slow at first. We thought a free library was a good idea, but we didn't know how to act upon it. Thanks to our Faculty Advisor we got the huge boost of encouragement and reassurance. Mrs.MacDonald was there every step of the way, to make sure we weren't ignoring the project or skipping over any citations (which we now have 48 of). I'm really proud of what the website has become. Countless hours of my life I spent perfecting every small detail I could find. One time, I almost deleted everything I had worked on so far just so I could just the perfect theme. I ended up just going back to what I had originally chose, mostly because I was already so used to it. My mom told me the other day that I was addicted to editing the website, but I just really like writing about the project. It's comforting to have something to distract your from the rest of your school work while being both helpful to the community and being something fun to do with your best friend. I know Emma enjoyed the building phase. She did most of the building with her dad, who knows a lot more than we do about engineering. One of my favorite parts was getting the chance to use an electric drill. I've used one before, but all the cool gadgets and laughing moments I had made the Action Phase my favorite. When I was collecting photos and looking through journals for people who had created free libraries in the past, it seemed impossible for two teenage girls and their mentors to accomplish such a feat by themselves, but by some miracle (and lots of well spent hours) we have a free library with its own website that describes in detail just what kind of effort went into creating the structure that stands by Lake Wire. Painted white and peach/orange with a big yellow sun painted across the roof and Emma and my name in colorful acrylic letters. Vines going up one side, while the other side is completely bare, but we painted all of our strokes like waves and flowing patterns so really it's not bare at all, it's really a structure that represents who we are and what we dream of. That is what we created. Making it was the greatest adventures I have ever known. |
Project Citations
(All 48 of them)
Works Cited
Alanwbaker. "Little Free Library." Instructables.com. Instructables, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. <http://www.instructables.com/id/Little-Free-Library/>.
Alexis. "Contacting City Officials." Telephone interview. 1 Dec. 2015.
The Baby. N.d. Https://www.flickr.com/. Https://www.flickr.com/. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.
"Build a Literacy-Friendly Neighborhood." Little Free Library. 573 Co. Rd. A Suite 106, Hudson, WI 54016., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. <http://littlefreelibrary.org/>.
Emma and I hugging in front of our completed project., LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma and Sheila drawing out window measurments, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma and Sheila paining letters onto the roof of the library, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma and Sheila posing with wood for post, Lakeland. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma and Sheila selecting the perfect latch for the door., Lowe's. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma and Sheila with Marvin, Lowe's. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma in frame for window, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma painting, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma painting the & symbol onto the library, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma posing with the "White House", Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma reading one of our library's books, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma smiling while taking measurments for door, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Final paint job back, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Final paint job front, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Franklin Park Library Open House. N.d. Flickr. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/88488351@N00/23457010990>.
From Lowe's, Marvin. "Working with Marvin." Personal interview. 20 Dec. 2015.
Jazz hands around our complected structure, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Krame, Michael. "Library Box - Builder's Kit Plans." Here's What This First Set of Plans Can Help You Build - a Little Library in the Style of the Amish Cabin. (2011): 1-5. Http://littlefreelibrary.org/. Aug. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2015. <http://littlefreelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/LFL-Building-Design_6.17.13.pdf>.
LCMA Publishers. "Lawton Chiles Middle Academy." Lawton Chiles Middle Academy. LCMA Publishers, 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <http://www.lcmaknightsonline.com/#>.
Library post seen from up close, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
MacDonald, Susan. Personal interview. Winter 2015-16.
Marvin cutting wood for us, Lowe's. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Our completed library on location back side, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Our completed library on location front side, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Our post from the third building entrance, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Publishers, Flicker. "Photographs." Flickr. Yahoo!, n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <https://www.flickr.com/>.
Scott, Derek. "Working with Emma's Father." Personal interview. 20 Dec. 2015.
Sheila and Emma celebrating in front of their library, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila and Emma working on the website, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila in frame for window, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila painting, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila painting her name onto the library's roof, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila painting the "While House" white, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila posing in front of half built library, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila posing with the completed library, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila posing with the "White House", Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila posing with wood for post, Lakeland. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila reading one of the many books from the library, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Side view of Emma and Sheila painting letters onto the library, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Small ordered pictures, Walgreens. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Standing in front of Lowe's, Lowe's. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
"Walgreens Photo Center | Digital Prints, Photo Gifts, Free Sharing & More." Walgreens Photo Center | Digital Prints, Photo Gifts, Free
Sharing & More. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2016. <http://photo2.walgreens.com/walgreens/home/>.
"Weebly Is the Easiest Way to Create a Website, Store or Blog." Weebly.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <http://www.weebly.com/>.
Alanwbaker. "Little Free Library." Instructables.com. Instructables, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. <http://www.instructables.com/id/Little-Free-Library/>.
Alexis. "Contacting City Officials." Telephone interview. 1 Dec. 2015.
The Baby. N.d. Https://www.flickr.com/. Https://www.flickr.com/. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.
"Build a Literacy-Friendly Neighborhood." Little Free Library. 573 Co. Rd. A Suite 106, Hudson, WI 54016., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. <http://littlefreelibrary.org/>.
Emma and I hugging in front of our completed project., LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma and Sheila drawing out window measurments, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma and Sheila paining letters onto the roof of the library, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma and Sheila posing with wood for post, Lakeland. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma and Sheila selecting the perfect latch for the door., Lowe's. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma and Sheila with Marvin, Lowe's. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma in frame for window, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma painting, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Emma painting the & symbol onto the library, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma posing with the "White House", Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma reading one of our library's books, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Emma smiling while taking measurments for door, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Final paint job back, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Final paint job front, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Franklin Park Library Open House. N.d. Flickr. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/88488351@N00/23457010990>.
From Lowe's, Marvin. "Working with Marvin." Personal interview. 20 Dec. 2015.
Jazz hands around our complected structure, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Krame, Michael. "Library Box - Builder's Kit Plans." Here's What This First Set of Plans Can Help You Build - a Little Library in the Style of the Amish Cabin. (2011): 1-5. Http://littlefreelibrary.org/. Aug. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2015. <http://littlefreelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/LFL-Building-Design_6.17.13.pdf>.
LCMA Publishers. "Lawton Chiles Middle Academy." Lawton Chiles Middle Academy. LCMA Publishers, 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <http://www.lcmaknightsonline.com/#>.
Library post seen from up close, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
MacDonald, Susan. Personal interview. Winter 2015-16.
Marvin cutting wood for us, Lowe's. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Our completed library on location back side, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Our completed library on location front side, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Our post from the third building entrance, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Publishers, Flicker. "Photographs." Flickr. Yahoo!, n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <https://www.flickr.com/>.
Scott, Derek. "Working with Emma's Father." Personal interview. 20 Dec. 2015.
Sheila and Emma celebrating in front of their library, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila and Emma working on the website, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila in frame for window, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila painting, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila painting her name onto the library's roof, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila painting the "While House" white, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila posing in front of half built library, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila posing with the completed library, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila posing with the "White House", Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Sheila posing with wood for post, Lakeland. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
Sheila reading one of the many books from the library, LCMA. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Side view of Emma and Sheila painting letters onto the library, Emma's House. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Small ordered pictures, Walgreens. Personal photograph by author. 2016.
Standing in front of Lowe's, Lowe's. Personal photograph by author. 2015.
"Walgreens Photo Center | Digital Prints, Photo Gifts, Free Sharing & More." Walgreens Photo Center | Digital Prints, Photo Gifts, Free
Sharing & More. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2016. <http://photo2.walgreens.com/walgreens/home/>.
"Weebly Is the Easiest Way to Create a Website, Store or Blog." Weebly.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <http://www.weebly.com/>.
People To Thank
Brian Andrews
Susan MacDonald
Marvin
Derek Scott
Susan MacDonald
Marvin
Derek Scott