March 6, 2009


BOCES Arts in Education Program
New York State Department of Education

Re: Letter of Recommendation for Children's Author Carol Parenzan Smalley


Dear BOCES Arts in Education Coordinator:

         It is with great pleasure that I recommend Carol Parenzan Smalley as a visiting author as part of your Arts in Education Program.

        I met Carol in the fall of 2008 when she visited Milton Hershey School's Catherine Hall Middle School as the author of two contracted children's book for Milton Hershey School's upcoming centennial celebration. One book is a picture book that parallels the life of a red oak tree with that of the school. The other is a middle-grade journal set in 1977-78, the year girls were first admitted to the one-time all-boy school. The private institute, for children in need, was founded by chocolatier Milton S. Hershey and his wife Catherine, in 1909. You can view Carol's work in progress on the two books here:

        http://www.mhs-pa.org/100years/celebration/photo-gallery/.

        During the course of a day, Carol met and connected with hundreds of 5th through 8th graders. She explained her research and writing process and demonstrated the work she was doing, including historical photograph retrieval from the school's archives. She talked about her visit to Paul Smith's College in upstate New York, where she met with a forestry professor to better understand the life cycle of a red oak tree.

        Carol spoke also of her visits with school alumni to learn more about their personal school experiences during the 1970s. She asked many questions of our young students and faculty, and she fielded numerous questions from our inquisitive students. She included the students in her writing process, asking them to contribute some of their favorite school memories. (I understand she has woven some of their stories into her story.) And, she planted a seed of curiosity in each as they anxiously await the release of these two books during our 2009-2010 school year. Each of the almost 2,000 residential students at our school will receive a book as part of the centennial celebration.

        In addition to the writing of these books, Carol has been working with our educational team to develop grade-appropriate workshops to complement these two books. The workshop topics cross the curriculum, touching on history, mathematics, science and environmental studies, creative writing, entrepreneurship, leadership, and community.

        We look forward to Carol's return visits as part of our centennial celebration. She has been an asset to our educational program, and I highly recommend her to your program and schools.

Sincerely,



Deborah Brown
Principal, Catherine Hall Middle School

P.O. Box 830      ¦      Hershey, PA 17033-0830     ¦     717.520.2000

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