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'Oh my gosh. I've waited 23 years for this'
By PAULETTE LASH RITCHIE © St. Petersburg Times, published December 14, 2000 LECANTO -- Debbie Hudson greeted the special needs students at CREST School as they entered their new library. "Welcome to the new media center!" Curriculum specialist and acting media specialist, Hudson was delighted to be introducing the children to the latest grand opening in the newly renovated school. They began with a ribbon cutting. Principal Keith Posta, assisted by students, snipped the ribbon that separated the children from the stories, information and educational tools within. Soon the students were seated at the five tables listening to media and learning lab aide Fran Pombier introduce them to the media center's opportunities and explain the library rules. "This is your library," she said. "You need to look around and see what you have." There were books on tape and a tape recorder, two televisions with VCRs, computers, a magazine rack, a book return cart, and shelves of books -- easy reading, non-fiction and reference. There were also holiday touches around the room, a big blown-up snowman, blown-up ornaments and a small Christmas tree. Hudson said that she and assistant principal Anita Moon worked from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. one Saturday to select books for the unique needs of the school, which serves students with mental, physical and emotional disabilities. It was all worth it, though, to have the media center at last. "It's been a long involved process," Hudson said. "Oh my gosh. I've waited 23 years for this. Thank goodness we finally had the vision and somebody backing us." That "somebody" was at least two Citrus County School District employees. Mike Geddes, coordinator of instructional technology and media services at the Instructional Resource Center, provided furniture and equipment and computer stations with file server, a media program. Edie Speight, the area instructional technology specialist, helped with ordering and set-up and training Hudson and Pombier. Eighth through 12th grade special education teacher Julie Keiper's class was one of the first to check out the new library and Keiper also seemed very pleased to have it. "I think, especially with this population of kids, it's difficult to get them interested in reading, because it's hard for them. But this gives them an opportunity to come in on a regular basis and handle books, do all of the reading preparation we do with other kids, and this is fun," she said. "This is a different setting and gives them a choice of what they want to look at and I think they can see the opportunities they have with the Internet and books to get information, and everybody needs to do that."
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