Community Read brings parents, students together

‘The Things They Carried’ author to speak Aug. 22

By Jane Charmelo

While some students in Glenbard District 87 have been issued a reading assignment over the summer—and others a recommendation to read—they and their parents will no doubt have something in common to talk about after reading author Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried.”
Gilda Ross, student and community projects coordinator for the district, narrated that the Glenbard Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Families (GPS) started a Community Read program some five years ago, explaining that while GPS offers annual programs for parents, a teacher had suggested programming for the students as well—in the form of reading the same book and offering the option to share it with their parents.
Ross said as the school year begins, parents and students are given the opportunity to hear a presentation by the author of the book they have been reading—in this case, O’Brien.
She said “Things” is a semi-autobiographical work of fiction, a series of short stories about different soldiers serving in Vietnam.
O’Brien, a Minnesota native and Macalester College graduate, served in the U.S. Army infantry in Vietnam, attended Harvard University and also worked as a national affairs reporter for the Washington Post.
O’Brien is the recipient of many literary awards, and the book was selected for inclusion in “The Best American Short Stories of the Century” in 1999.
The author, who has written a number of other books, holds the University Endowed Chair in Creative Writing at Texas State University.
John Greenya in 2010 wrote in the Washington Times, “Many people think this is the best work of fiction ever written about Vietnam. Some even think it is the best work of fiction ever written about war. Both are right, and they were right 20 years ago when this book came out for the first time.”
O’Brien has been featured on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” and is featured in a Ken Burns documentary on the Vietnam War.
Ross said of the Burns documentary interview, “He spoke so eloquently,” adding that as it relates to the Glenbard students and families, “I think [he] can teach important life lessons.”
“It’s a really wonderful choice because of its historical significance,” the coordinator continued, and at the same time, “It checks off all the boxes” as a quality piece of writing and as “a topic that merits discussion.”
In kicking off the new GPS schedule each year, the Community Read was created so “parents and students could come together for an important author,” Ross outlined. “We try to reach as many families as possible to let them know this resource [GPS] is out there.”
And, for parents who have not attended a GPS program or may be new to the district, the idea of kicking off the series with an author is that “parents who might not have otherwise been exposed to it [GPS] will come back,” Ross said.
“It’s supported by all the area libraries,” she continued. “They help us promote the event.”
“What a special experience it is…to talk to the author,” Ross concluded.
Community Read will take place Wednesday, Aug. 22, 7 p.m., at Glenbard West High School, 670 Crescent Blvd., Glen Ellyn.
Other back-to-school events include a parent and athlete night on Monday, Aug. 13, “A Game Plan for High School Victory,” with Ray McElroy speaking at 6 p.m. at Glenbard North, 990 Kuhn Road, Carol Stream; and another program starting at 6 p.m. at Glenbard East, 1014 S. Main St., Lombard, with McElroy speaking there at 6:45 p.m.
Doug Petit on Tuesday, Aug. 14, will present “One Father’s Story” about the death of his son from an alcohol overdose. He will speak at 6 p.m. at Glenbard South High School, 23W200 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn. A Glenbard West program begins at 6 p.m. with Petit speaking at 6:45 p.m. (See related story in this issue.)
GPS will feature Dr. Michael Duggan at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11, speaking on “First Class Support for Students on the Autism Spectrum,” at Glenbard South.
For information on GPS programs, contact Ross at 630-469-9100 or [email protected].
A schedule of programs is available at glenbardgps.org.