Since September of this year, a group of students at have been reading the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. The book was first distributed by MRH HS science teacher Kathleen Dwyer. She gave the book to her Science Research students.
Dwyer had them start reading it because it related to something they would be participating in later on in the class.
“The book has to do with tissue rights, which happens to be the debate topic at a conference later this year, and the students wanted to learn more about it,” explained Dwyer.
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“I think this book will be great at preparing us for the debate later in the year, it was one of the biggest (and still is) cell ownership cases in history,” said junior Joey Zunich.
Senior Jena Doering believes that having read the book will be a benefit for the debate also. “I think it will be our biggest weapon! Having all these ideas, information, and perspectives,” said Doering.
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Dozens of books ended up being ordered and students passed the books onto friends, parents, and other teachers. It no longer was just a Science Research assigned book. “The students loved the book, so that’s how the book club was started,” said Dwyer.
Members of the book club communicate through blogging on the book club’s official website. Students enjoy blogging about the book and think it’s a good way to share opinions. “I try to get on the site as much as I can. I enjoy blogging about it because it allows me to get other peoples views on the matters at hand,” said Zunich.
So far there are two gatherings planned for the group. One is on November 9, 2011. The book club will meet the author, Skloot, at the University of Illinois at Springfield where Skloot will be speaking. Students are excited to meet Skloot.
“I'm ecstatic. I'm really interested to see and hear from her in person about how much she went through to actually make this book,” said Zunich.
The second planned event for members of the book club is on November 16, 2011. There will be a discussion dinner at the MRH HS Commons.
Dwyer hopes that this will revive the community book club that existed in the past for next semester.