Who ARe WE?
This site is facilitated by the Missouri Association of School Librarians’ Gateway Readers Award Committee.
Because reading is the gateway to knowledge and lifelong learning, because the teen years are the gateway to adulthood, and because Missouri was the Gateway to the West, the Gateway Readers Award is for authors of books chosen by high school students in Missouri.Librarians serving young adults in school and public libraries recognize the need for books written for this audience. We know the quality of this writing is imperative so that as adults our patrons will continue to seek knowledge and recreation through well-written books.
The goals of the Gateway Readers Award are the following:
The 2020-21 Committee Members
Nichole Ballard-Long, Past Chair
Greater St. Louis Region (Lafayette HS)
ballardlongnichole@rsdmo.org
Ethan Evans, Chair
Northwest Region (Lathrop HS)
ethan.evans@lathropschools.com
Tara Willen, Vice Chair
Greater St. Louis Region (Francis Howell North HS)
tara.willen@fhsdschools.org
Nicole Bueno, Secretary
Southwest Region (Glandale HS)
nbueno@spsmail.org
Lorin Blackburn Thierfelder, 1 year member
Central Region (Smith-Cotton HS)
thierfelderl@sedalia200.org
Megan Downs, 1 year member
Public Librarian Representative, Greater Kansas City Region (Mid-Continent Public Library)
mdowns@mymcpl.org
Jessie Kirkbride, 1 year member
South Central Region (Rolla HS)
jkirkbride@rolla31.org
Briana Kleine, 1 year member
Southwest Region (Cassville HS)
bkleine@cassville.k12.mo.us
Jill Varns, 1 year member
Mid-Missouri Region (Rock Bridge HS)
jvarns@cpsk12.org
Because reading is the gateway to knowledge and lifelong learning, because the teen years are the gateway to adulthood, and because Missouri was the Gateway to the West, the Gateway Readers Award is for authors of books chosen by high school students in Missouri.Librarians serving young adults in school and public libraries recognize the need for books written for this audience. We know the quality of this writing is imperative so that as adults our patrons will continue to seek knowledge and recreation through well-written books.
The goals of the Gateway Readers Award are the following:
- To encourage Missouri young adults in grades nine through twelve to select and read quality literature that appeals to their needs, interests and reading levels.
- To recognize and honor outstanding works in young adult literature.
- To develop a cooperative relationship among schools, libraries and teens.
- To encourage the development of school and public library services to teens.
The 2020-21 Committee Members
Nichole Ballard-Long, Past Chair
Greater St. Louis Region (Lafayette HS)
ballardlongnichole@rsdmo.org
Ethan Evans, Chair
Northwest Region (Lathrop HS)
ethan.evans@lathropschools.com
Tara Willen, Vice Chair
Greater St. Louis Region (Francis Howell North HS)
tara.willen@fhsdschools.org
Nicole Bueno, Secretary
Southwest Region (Glandale HS)
nbueno@spsmail.org
Lorin Blackburn Thierfelder, 1 year member
Central Region (Smith-Cotton HS)
thierfelderl@sedalia200.org
Megan Downs, 1 year member
Public Librarian Representative, Greater Kansas City Region (Mid-Continent Public Library)
mdowns@mymcpl.org
Jessie Kirkbride, 1 year member
South Central Region (Rolla HS)
jkirkbride@rolla31.org
Briana Kleine, 1 year member
Southwest Region (Cassville HS)
bkleine@cassville.k12.mo.us
Jill Varns, 1 year member
Mid-Missouri Region (Rock Bridge HS)
jvarns@cpsk12.org
my read shelf:
