Read Aloud Randolph County announces book, movie event
Article by Beth Broschart courtesy for The Inter-Mountain (original publication date July 18, 2016)
[columnContainer fullscreen=”off” bgcolor=”#FFFFFF” bgimage=”” border=”yes”][column span=”span4″ alignment=”left”]ELKINS – Summertime offers the opportunity to enjoy many activities including sunning by the pool, quiet evenings on the porch or deck and travels to many fun places. And what better way to pass the time than reading a book? With that in mind, Read Aloud Randolph County has announced plans for another book/movie event for the summer.
The group is encouraging the community to read “Rocket Boys” by Homer Hickam Jr., Read Aloud Randolph County President Mary Boyd said. Read Aloud wanted to get the word out about the upcoming event to give people the opportunity to get a copy of the book and read it before the showing of the movie, she said.
“We are sponsoring a community showing of the movie ‘October Sky’ at sundown Sept. 2 as part of the Elkins Main Street First Friday events,” Boyd said. “Elkins Main Street will get the licensing to show the movie, and Davis & Elkins College is loaning the projector and screen for the movie. The showing will be outside in downtown Elkins.”
Boyd said copies of the book “Rocket Boys” are available for loan at the Elkins Sewing Center. An online scan of the Randolph County Libraries shows there are copies of “Rocket Boys” available at the Helvetia Public Library, the Valley Head Public Library, the Russell Memorial Public Library in Mill Creek, the Pioneer Memorial Public Library in Harman and the Elkins Randolph County Public Library.
“The book is a wonderful story about growing up in a small coal mining town, and is about how a teacher can inspire her students,” she said. “It shows how science discoveries are made and how to face failure, overcome adversity and become a success.”
Hickam is from Coalwood and is an author, Vietnam veteran and former NASA engineer. While at NASA, he worked on spacecraft design and astronaut training. His book was a New York Times bestseller and has been studied in many schools.
Josh Revels, a science instructor at Elkins High School, is the adviser for the rocket club. He said he had about 10 members of his club that participated in the Teen America Rocketry Club challenge.
“We had the 10 members who built this rocket at NASA with the supplies the West Virginia Rocketry Association chipped in with,” Revels said. “The students also designed this engine mount with a 3-D printer there, so the students were learning about engineering like in the book. They also discovered the first time isn’t always what they expect it takes more than one try.”
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Revel and his EHS Rocket Club will be assisting during the Sept. 2 showing of “October Sky.”
Last year, Read Aloud Randolph County gathered folks to read “To Kill a Mockingbird,” written by Harper Lee. They sponsored a discussion about the book, sponsored a public showing of the movie and coordinated an essay writing contest for teens.
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