Martinsville, Va. — A new partnership between the Harvest Youth Board (HYB) and the Blue Ridge Regional Library is turning the page on community engagement and youth-led advocacy for literacy in Martinsville-Henry County.
At this year’s Books and Bunnies event held in March, hosted annually by the youth board to celebrate reading and community, children came together to create a collaborative art piece — a colorful canvas illustrated by local artist Adrienne Anderson. The finished piece was presented to the Blue Ridge Regional Library in June by Harvest Youth Board members Bailey Stanley, Chloe Wood and Madeline Cooley.
“It was a beautiful experience to witness little hands with big hearts contribute to a work of art,” Wood said. “The library and the Harvest Youth Board’s partnership has ushered in a feeling of communal joy. I hope people go by, see the canvas, and remember that we are all masterpieces.”
This meaningful gesture marks the first official collaboration between the youth board and the library, and one that both organizations hope will continue to grow.
“It is a great work of art, and I hope it encourages kids to read,” Stanley said. “This is a great partnership that I hope to continue to see well into the future.”
As part of the new collaboration, the Harvest Youth Board is also supporting the library’s Color Our World summer reading program by highlighting teen book recommendations and encouraging participation through social media. Families can register for the program at www.brrl.lib.va.us.
“It was amazing getting to witness the creation and presentation of this beautiful canvas painting by the children of our very own town,” Cooley said. “Getting to work alongside the Blue Ridge Regional Library has been a wonderful experience that I hope only flourishes with time.”
Janet Boucher, children’s librarian at Blue Ridge Regional Library, attended the Books and Bunnies event, although she said she didn’t know exactly what attendees were painting on the artwork.
“I didn’t even know it was the library they were painting,” Boucher said. “I thought it was just flowers! It’s a beautiful image of the library and will be treasured for years to come. And I love the quote (on the artwork). It’s one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Seuss. It’s just beautiful.”
The quote from Dr. Seuss reads: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
To learn more about the Harvest Youth Board and its initiatives, visit harvestyouthboard.org.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Harvest Foundation. Janet Boucher, children’s librarian at Blue Ridge Regional Library (from left), and Harvest Youth Board members Bailey Stanley, Madeline Cooley, and Chloe Wood.
