MHS English teacher receives Book Love grant

Submitted by Mundelein High School District 120

Mundelein High School English teacher Ryan Buck has won the support of the Book Love Foundation board of directors and has been awarded a grant for $1,000 to purchase books for his classroom library.

"We believe in you and believe in your work," Book Love Foundation President Penny Kittle said.

"I will be looking to purchase multi-genres of texts that open up my students' awareness to the social and ecological issues of the past, present and future," Buck said. "It will be exciting to get more books in their hands, whenever we are together again."

Kittle listed the following reasons for why Buck earned the scholarship:

• He demonstrated a commitment to creating both a classroom library that is representative of the world and the leadership to move education toward equity.

• He has applied the research on increasing the volume of reading in his classroom and is seeing results. We know how hard it can be to innovate in your teaching. We know the stamina it takes professionals like you to commit to work that many do not understand or support. We celebrate your persistence.

• He reads professionally. We believe that teachers must read current journals and research. We believe it is a foundation for excellence in teaching.

• His personal stories of successes and failures moved us. We look for the personal connections applicants make to their students and their commitment to the success against all odds of every reader. We see that in him.

• We see his potential as a leader in our field. We are investing in him because we hope he will explore ways to lead others. He has a vision that others need. We expect that this grant will inspire him to recognize the leader inside of himself and then to act on it.

"So many educators are re-imagining school in the wake of what some have called two viruses - COVID-19 and racism - that call for the best in each of us," Kittle said.

"May this grant help you find your way forward. We are thrilled that you are a part of our Book Love Foundation family. It's a pleasure to fund your work."

Buck was also instrumental in creating the floor-to-ceiling book cover murals in the English Department hallway that received national and international press coverage.