Rochester High School is home to an amazing media center. Its impressive collection of resources and efficient running earned it an eExemplary score by School Libraries in the 21st Century. It’s no surprise, as it’s staffed with amazing people, filled with an abundance of resources, and home to a comfortable quiet environment.
The Media Center’s assistant Ms. Alcock is well-loved by RHS students. She’s always reliable for a personalized book suggestion and good conversation. She describes her experience working in this essential part of the school, saying “I love being in the Media Center because every day is different. There’s always new challenges.” She explains, “I love to connect with the kids, you learn new things, see new books.”
The Media center is home to many resources. Students can discover a wide variety of different genres and receive tech help for chromebooks. Ms. Alcock says, “it is utilized as classroom space, collaboration areas, small spaces where groups can work in a small setting in the think tank. Then of course, it’s used a lot by our language arts classes for book talks, book dating, finding materials, ect.”
With the range of options available for students, it’s no surprise that so many students and teachers find themselves using it so often. With the support that they can receive and the level of focus that’s attainable, it makes for a great learning space.
Students utilize the Media Center in various ways. Junior, Asha Misra goes to the media center, “on average, maybe twice a week.” She uses the space to study, describing the environment as “calm and quiet.” She says, “it’s good for focusing. You don’t have many interruptions, so if you need to really lock in for something, you can go in there.”
Sophomore Ciera Hanson is also a frequent user of the media center. Hanson explained that she uses the media center at least once a day. She shares, “It’s calm and a very different environment from the mall.” She says, “I think it’s a good place to study because it’s really quiet and there’s not many people.”
Contrarily, junior Brody LaFerle and sophomore Molly Dallian don’t use the Media Center often. Dallian says, “I only go in there when I have a class that’s assigned to that area.” She explains that, “overall it’s a great resource to have in the school. I don’t personally use it that much, but I think it’s great for people who need a quiet space to work on homework.”
Since the media center was first built in 1986, it has grown and adapted with the changing technology. For example, the digital libraries that are accessible through the media center’s page on the RCS website. Although the Media Center provides a welcoming environment, there are many ways that it could become even more so- starting with student mindsets as they enter an area of focus. No matter what, there’s no doubt that with the constant changes of technology the media center will continue to accommodate and grow with it.
The media center has come a long way since it was first founded. It is a space of peace and quiet, but never does it feel stagnant or stale. Students have equal accessibility and opportunity within it, which reflects some of the key values of Rochester High School. After all, knowledge is one of the most priceless assets a person can own so being able to take advantage of the books and resources while they’re so readily available is an incredible opportunity.
