Youth Activities – Harrison County Public Library

Young Voices Poetry Contest For Grades 3 – 12

Contest, Notices, Youth Activities / By Jessica Stroud / June 4, 2024

Indianapolis, IN: Poetry Society of Indiana announces the 2024 Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest. First place winners will receive public acknowledgement on the PSI website and social media platforms. The poems may be published in the annual anthology Ink to Paper.

Contest Guidelines:

Open state-wide to public, private, and homeschool students in grades 3-12

Recommendation by a teacher required

Original unpublished work only

One poem submission per student

30-line limit (including blank lines)

No submission fees

Contest Categories:

Category 1: Grades 3 & 4

Category 2: Grades 5 & 6

Category 3: Grades 7 & 8

Category 4: Grades 9 & 10

Category 5: Grades 11 & 12

PDF: PSI Young Voices Annual Contest Guidelines and Submission Form

Deadline for submissions is September 20, 2024.

There is no fee. Additional details are at this link:

PSI Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest (poetrysocietyofindiana.org)

About Poetry Society of Indiana: Poetry Society of Indiana (PSI), founded in 1941,

is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public and encouraging poets in Indiana. PSI seeks to unite poets in friendship and understanding while recognizing cultural heritage and linguistic contexts.

Prior to 2016, Poetry Society of Indiana was known as Indiana State Federation of Poetry Clubs (ISFPC).

CONTACT: All questions should be directed to poetrysocietyofindiana@gmail.com, with “Young Voices contest” in the subject line.

Shakespeare on the Corydon Capitol Square a Hit

Adult Program, Latest, Notices, Youth Activities / By Diana Lasky / May 13, 2024

Friday evening, May 10, was a beautiful weather day for the library to host the kick-off of the SoIn To Shakespeare Tour 2024 of The Tempest at the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site lawn and gazebo. Attendance was 155 with many late comers.

The Crowd 2 - Shakespeare — Co-director Martin French welcomes the crowd.

Storm — The youth actors on a ship in a storm

The family-friendly play was shortened by James Thompson to be accessible and clear. The youth in the audience were added as cast members and were able to take the stage 3 different times. The children helped begin the play as seafarers (with pirate hats) and were tossed side to side on the ship during the storm. Then the cast took over as the tempest continued.

The ship in a storm — The tempest tosses the ship.

Miranda, Prospero, Caliban — Miranda, Prospero and Caliban

Apparitions (youth) created by Ariel torment and scare Alonsa and Anonette

The crowed covered all generations. Comments were all positive about the play. location and weather. One set of parents stated that their children had “caught the acting bug” and other families all had positive comments about their children’s experience. Overall, a great time was had by all.

Cast List:
Prospero – Clara Burton
Alonsa – Susan Brooks
Miranda/Trinculo – Kaila Gelback
Caliban/Boatswain – Hayley Ginger
Gonzalo/Stephano – Bryce Woodard
Ferdinand/Antonette – Brayli Temple
Ariel – All actors

Co-director/Producer: Martin French
Co-director/Script Adaptation: James Thompson

Takes a bow with children — The actors and youth take a bow

Cast - Sea Chanty final — Cast ends with s sea chanty

If you missed the program, click on the link for more dates of the SoIN To Shakespeare Tour 2024. 2024 Shakespeare Spring Tour Poster

Pete the Cat Visits Corydon Elementary School

Reading Program, Youth Activities / By Eden Ransdell / February 29, 2024

Library mascot Pete the Cat visited Corydon Elementary School on Tuesday as a reward for CES being the top school in this year’s Read to Feed Harrison County Winter Challenge. Eden Ransdell, Youth Services Manager, read and sang Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes, while Pete acted out the story and showed off his dance moves. Corydon Elementary students read 6,194 books in the month of January 2024, helping to raise $2,700 for Harrison County Community Services. Way to go, CES!

Total Solar Eclipse Programming at HCPL

Adult Activities, Classes, Crafts, Online resources, Teen Activities, Youth Activities / By Eden Ransdell / February 28, 2024

Are you ready for the Total Solar Eclipse? Come to one of HCPL’s eclipse events to learn everything you need to know for April 8, 2024. Attendees at each event will receive 1 free pair of solar glasses, as supplies last.

Programs for Kids:

Nature Club (ages 4+) – 4 pm Wed., Feb. 28 at Corydon – Learn about the science of eclipses and make a solar viewer to take home. Please bring 1 cereal box per child (the library has some extra if you do not have one available.)

Eclipse Crafts (all ages) – 2-4 pm Mon., Mar. 25 at Corydon and 1-7 pm Thurs., Mar. 28 at Elizabeth – Make a variety of eclipse-themed crafts and viewing tools. Please bring 1 cereal box per child if you would like to make a solar viewer.

Pinwheel Festival (all ages) – 11 am-2 pm Sat., Apr. 6 at Bicentennial Park – Stop by the library’s booth to get your face painted and pick up information about the eclipse.

Presentations for Adults and Families: Learn how to safely and successfully view April’s total solar eclipse.

Corydon Presbyterian Church – 6 pm Thurs., Feb. 29

Palmyra United Methodist Church – 6 pm Thurs., Mar. 14

Harrison County Community Foundation – 6 pm Tues., Mar. 19

Can’t make it to one of HCPL’s events? Here are some resources to help teachers and families prepare on their own:

Totality, Minute by Minute – HCPL has prepared this handout to remind you which phenomena to look for at each stage of the eclipse.

Cereal Box Viewer instructions – This viewing method is safer for children than solar glasses, as they will be observing the eclipse with their backs to the Sun, so there is less chance for injury. Highly recommended project for school groups.

NASA Punch Pinhole Projector – This site has in-depth explanations of how pinhole projection works and how to apply it to the eclipse.

Safe Solar Viewer (SSV) instructions – An SSV is an excellent way for a group to safely view and photograph the eclipse at the same time, and even see sunspots. This project can be built for as little as $5 and would work well for school viewing parties.

Path of Totality Map – The Sun’s corona, 360° sunset, and other exciting phenomena will only be visible on the path of totality. Most of Harrison County is only at 99% – and even 1% of the Sun’s disc is enough to drown out the corona. You MUST be at 100% to view the corona. This map shows the timestamps and percent eclipsed for any location.

NASA Exploratorium – If you cannot make it to the path of totality, NASA will be livestreaming the event here.

Useful Apps:

Solar Eclipse Timer by Foxwood Astronomy (free for practice mode, $2 to unlock each eclipse) – This app will time the eclipse for you and give audio prompts to remind you what phenomena to look for at each moment. It will even calculate the best times to take photographs.

Totality by Big Kid Science (free) – Click anywhere on the map to see how long totality will last for that location, and what time each phase will occur.

Stellarium Mobile (free, with optional in-app purchases) – This astronomy app helps you identify stars and other celestial objects. You can set it to the day and time of the eclipse to simulate what you will see. On eclipse day, it can help you identify the stars and planets that appear during totality.

Teen Volunteers Conduct Water Quality Testing

Teen Activities, Youth Activities / By Eden Ransdell / October 4, 2023

Eleven Teen Volunteers visited Indian Creek last Tuesday to test water quality for the Hoosier Riverwatch program. The teens used a dip net and kick seine to collect macroinvertebrates (insect larvae and other tiny aquatic animals) that cling to rocks and plants in the creek’s riffles. The species found included damselfly nymphs, stoneflies, riffle beetles, and water pennies, all of which can only survive in clean water. Despite murky conditions caused by a recent drought, this diversity of insects scored a Pollution Tolerance Index of 25, which is considered Excellent Water Quality.

The teens also conducted a range of chemical tests. Here are the results:

Dissolved Oxygen: The amount of oxygen available in the water for fish and other animals to breathe. DO is reduced by excessive algae growth, which is in turn caused by fertilizer pollution. Indian Creek scored 11.5 mg/liter. The state average is only 9.6 mg/liter (higher=better).

5-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand: The amount of oxygen used up by algae and bacteria over five days. Indian Creek scored 4.5 mg/liter due to excessive algae. The Indiana average is 2 mg/liter (lower=better).

pH: The acidity of the water. Indian Creek scored excellent at 7.25 pH (the state standard is 6-9).

Orthophosphates: A type of fertilizer pollution. The teens found no trace of orthophosphates in the water.

Nitrate: Another fertilizer pollutant. Indian Creek scored 2.2 mg/liter. The Indiana average is over 12 (lower=better).

Turbidity: The murkiness of the water. Indian Creek scored 17 NTUs. The state average is 15 (lower=better), but the EPA recommends a limit of 10.4. Indian Creek is usually much clearer than this.

Although the drought caused poorer conditions than are typical, Indian Creek still earned a Water Quality Index of 80/100, a rating of Good. These results have been submitted to Hoosier Riverwatch, where the data will be freely available to scientists and the public. Thanks to our Teen Volunteers for helping protect Indiana’s precious waterways!

Teen Volunteers meet most Tuesdays at 5 p.m. at the Corydon Branch. Call the library at 812-738-4110 for more information or to learn how you can participate.

Poetry Society of Indiana’s Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest

Notices, Teen Activities, Youth Activities / By Jessica Stroud / May 27, 2023

Indiana Poetry Contest For Grades 3 – 12

The Poetry Society of Indiana announces the 2023 Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest. First-place winners will receive public acknowledgment on the PSI website and social media platforms. The poems may be published in the annual anthology Ink to Paper.

Contest Guidelines

Open state-wide to public, private, and homeschool students in grades 3-12
Recommendation by a teacher required
Original unpublished work only
One poem submission per student
30-line limit (including blank lines)
No submission fees

Contest Categories

Category 1: Grades 3 & 4
Category 2: Grades 5 & 6
Category 3: Grades 7 & 8
Category 4: Grades 9 & 10
Category 5: Grades 11 & 12

Deadline for submissions is September 20, 2023.

There is no fee. Additional details are available on the PSI Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest page.

About Poetry Society of Indiana: Poetry Society of Indiana (PSI), founded in 1941, is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public and encouraging poets in Indiana. PSI seeks to unite poets in friendship and understanding while recognizing cultural heritage and linguistic contexts. Prior to 2016, Poetry Society of Indiana was known as Indiana State Federation of Poetry Clubs (ISFPC).

All questions should be directed to poetrysocietyofindiana@gmail.com, with “Young Voices contest” in the subject line.

Shakespeare in the Park Moves Indoors to a Full House

Reading Program, Youth Activities / By Diana Lasky / April 26, 2023

The weather was cool and the ground was soggy, but more than 105 people attended A Midsummer Night’s Dream as it moved indoors to the Harrison County Parks Department office/sanctuary. The public enjoyed the play and the venue (previously Wright Interpretive Center, old Presbyterian Church) just off the Corydon town square. Hilarity ensued as the multiple stories were told and the fairies created mischief.

Attendees of all ages came to the production performed by TheatreWorks of Southern Indiana and directed by Martin French and James Thompson. Library director Alisa Burch welcomed the audience and thanked the Harrison County Parks Department for providing the indoor venue. Other community partners were Corydon Capitol State Historic Site (the original outdoor location) and the Harrison County Visitor’s Bureau which remained open until 8 p.m. with restroom services. Hannegan Roseberry of TheatreWorks of Southern Indiana introduced the play and mentioned that “theater is alive and well in Corydon” noting there were two other local live productions that night in Corydon.

Harrison County Public Library sponsored the Corydon performance of the Arts Alliance of SoIN Spring Tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As the audience exited the building, many complimented the performance and the venue and thanked the actors. For more information about the production, actors and upcoming plays, visit the playbill link.

Art Unplugged – Harrison County Winner Announced

Design, Notices, Teen Activities, Youth Activities / By Diana Lasky / April 19, 2023

Samantha Lawyer is the winner of the Harrison County portion of the Regional High School Art Juried Competition – Art Unplugged – Repurposed Shape with her entry Garden of Vellichor. Samantha, a junior at Lanesville High School, will be awarded a $500 scholarship sponsored by Harrison County Public Library for the Best in Show. This competition is the area’s first-ever regional high school art show with winners from Clark, Floyd and Harrison Counties advancing to a finalist show at the Arts Alliance of Southern Indiana in New Albany, Indiana.

All 17 Harrison County student entries are showcased on the library website through April 30. Six Lanesville High School students were awarded Honorable Mentions:
Ella Funk – Garden Snail
Kassie ZurSchmiede – (untitled entry)
Brayden Isgrigg – Johnny Bravo
Hannah Rowley – Stand Proud
Ella Funk – upcycled city
Elizabeth Saier – Heart Strings

Samantha Lawyer’s Garden of Vellichor advances to the finalist show May 8 – 20 at the Arts Alliance of Southern Indiana. Finalists will compete for the following scholarships: 1^st place – $2,500; 2^nd place – $1,500; and 3^rd place – $1,000. Scholarship winners will be announced at the finalist ceremony and reception on May 20, 2023, at the Arts Alliance of Southern Indiana.

A judging committee member commented, “I would like to thank all students who submitted artwork for the competition. It was such a joy to view all of the entries and see the broad range of amazing artistic talent from Harrison County students.”

Best in Show

Honorable Mentions

New Animal Friends at the Library

2 Comments / Youth Activities / By Savannah Wallace / March 29, 2023

by Savannah Wallace

The Children’s Library at the Corydon branch has some new furry residents. Four large stuffed animals were purchased for children’s activity room at the beginning of the year. Many patrons will remember the giant stuffed bears that lived in the activity room. While they were very much loved, the time had come for them to be retired. The children’s library staff decided to replace them with four different types of animals including a wolf, lion, tiger and turtle. The staff decided it would be fun to give the animals literary names since they will live in a library. The names they chose are Virginia Woolfe the wolf, Leo Tolstoy the lion, Mary Shelley the turtle, and Nathaniel Pawthorne the tiger. Next time you visit stop by and introduce yourself to our new friends.

Pete the Cat Visits Heth-Washington Elementary School

Reading Program, Youth Activities / By Eden Ransdell / February 27, 2023

Library mascot Pete the Cat visited Heth-Washington Elementary School today as a reward for HWES being the top school in January 2023’s Read to Feed Harrison County Winter Challenge. In each classroom from Pre-K to 3rd grade, Eden Ransdell, Youth Services Manager, read and sang Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes. Pete acted out the story and led the kids in dancing along. Each classroom received a special Certificate of Excellence signed by Pete the Cat with their total number of books read. Way to go, Heth-Washington!