Lake Placid High School’s Literacy Leadership Team began a new initiative during 2006-2007 called Dragons Caught Reading!  Each day Reading Coach Pat Lee snapped pictures of students reading independently around campus. Literacy Leadership Team members created a Dragon logo to give students coupons for different incentives. Student pictures were posted in the central area of the school under a student made “Dragon” frame.

To promote more independent reading and help build classroom libraries, the Literacy Leadership Team decided to hold its first ever book fair. With the help of Media Specialist Sharon Edgemon and ideas from surrounding school districts, a book fair was brought to the LPHS for the first time. Students, teachers, parents and a neighboring middle school took part in the excitement generated by this event. School announcements focused on popular titles and authors. Teachers were able to preview the display the day before the fair was opened to the students and to make a wish list for books they wanted. Teachers were then encouraged to bring in their classes to earn books for their own classroom libraries. An open house, in conjunction with the Spring Band Concert, was held on the opening day.  A local Reading Coach cadre held their monthly meeting in the book fair room to discuss possible titles for future school-wide read alouds.  

Not only did the fair generate large revenue for the school’s media center and make it possible to fulfill every teacher’s wish list, it also put new and exciting titles in the hands of these high school students. Dragons Caught Reading! has definitely caught on!