Teen Think Tank (6th - 12th Grade)

Nothing has connected people more than Social Media. Love it or hate it, it allows us to send and receive information in seconds! I mean, honestly, can we really ever have enough memes??? With all the wonderous things Social Media has brought to our lives, it's important to remember that online photos, videos, and comments LIVE FOREVER! Even if you delete it, it’s almost impossible for it to completely be erased from the Internet. This week in Teen Think Tank, we'll get lost in the "interwebs" and explore Social Media.

2020 marked an important year for politics and government. Motivated by the need for social justice and equality, people found themselves engaging in grassroots movements to call for change. This week in WriterLab we discuss "Endings"; and while the stories will end, as long as there are problems to solve and Wrongs to Right, the struggle will continue.

Do you find that your day-to-day life has become a bit too predictable? Maybe you are looking for a little more adventure or mystery? This week we explore plot twists and uncover hidden secrets and jaw-dropping revelations!

Did you know that with Flipster you can access hundreds of magazines right from home? There's plenty for everyone, from fashion to sports. Why not impress your family this week by whipping up a delicious dish? Unsure what to cook? No problem, there's plenty of recipes to discover! Who knows, you may uncover a new talent! Move over, Rachel Ray! Look out, Chef Ramsay! A new Chef is here!

It's finally November and before we are inundated with holiday music everywhere and the urge to shop, shop, shop; let's take the time to pause and reflect on our life. It has been a crazy couple of months and lots of things have changed not just for ourselves but for so many people. Sometimes in order to put things in perspective, we must look at the world around us. This week we'll take a look at Life Lessons and Blessings. What are you thankful for?

It's Inktober! Illustrator Jake Parker created this event in 2009 to encourage people of all skill levels to draw something once a day for the month of October, and to share their drawings on social media (#inktober, #inktober2020, @inktober). You don't have to be a great artist to participate, this is something ANYONE can do, regardless of experience. The point is to improve your skills and to inspire/be inspired by others. Read on for more information and join our Inktober drawing classes!

This week, we take a look inside ourselves and think about our identity. What makes us uniquely us? We will explore books, activities, and join a discussion, all on the theme of recognizing the importance of individuality and self-expression. As Oscar Wilde famously said, "Be yourself—everyone else is already taken."

In honor of Banned Books Week (September 27 – October 3), we'll be exploring challenged and banned books.

This month, we celebrate the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

#MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil is our featured book for this month. Explore these activities inspired by the book and its social media theme. 

If you love the Broadway musical, Hamilton, keep reading! These activities will take you behind the scenes and introduce you to the world of Hamilton beyond listening to the soundtrack.