Creative minds and creative readers come together to create student bookmarks.

Lester Higa, graphic arts teacher, came up with an idea to “promote reading,” said Jennifer Asato, McKinley High School librarian.

Higa gave his students an assignment to read a book that could be referred to other students.

Each student would create their own bookmark based on a scene or theme of their book, said Higa. The title and author of the book are on one side of the bookmark, on the back there will be a summary of this book, and five other recommended books related to the initial book. The students who will participate in this assignment are from Higa’s two graphics classes.

Higa said he hopes that there will be 25 to 50 student bookmark participants.

Asato said the students of MHS will get to vote from the top ten bookmarks-chosen by Higa and Asato-displayed in the MHS Library.

This quarter the students created the bookmarks and the voting event will take place next quarter, said Higa. The winning bookmark will be displayed and ready for people to use at the McCully and Liliha Public Libraries, as well as in McKinley’s library.

Wan Yin Guo (12) said when deciding what book she would use to create her bookmark she “carefully looked through the genre on the requirement list.”

The list suggested several themes such as science fiction and historical fiction.

She said the first idea that popped up in her mind was historical fiction since she had read a “remarkable one in the past,” so she chose to create her bookmark on a historical fiction book.

Guo said, “This bookmark project definitely benefits every student because, first, it helps us to learn how to do research; second, we also get to learn how to use the Adobe InDesign software. These skills are very valuable to students.”

She also said reading is one of her “best friends.”

She feels every time she picks up a new book, she gets an opportunity “to meet a new friend, and a chance to explore a new world.”

Guo said, “I enjoyed completing this project since I learned how to face failure. The first time I finished the draft of the bookmark, I was very satisfied since I thought this assignment would be done. However, my teacher told me that I made some mistakes that I need to revise my draft. Thinking about the time I wasted makes me feel disappointed.

However, I carried on and revised the bookmark very quickly since I already learned how to use the software. Learning from your own failure pushes you closer to success.”

Next quarter will allow the students of McKinley High School to get a chance to share their opinions on the different bookmark designs.

With this in mind, get ready to vote.