WYTHE CO. – Marilyn Garnto would score high marks on personality alone for any competition she entered. Her remarkable attitude and positive outlook carry over into her work as media specialist at Fort Chiswell High School which won her a state award.
Garnto was honored as the Virginia Educational Media Assoc. (VEMA) State Library Media Specialist of the Year. She credits Principal Brett Booher with beginning the process.
According to the VEMA Web site, the purpose of the award is to recognize outstanding VEMA school library media specialists. Nominations can be made by fellow media specialists, teachers or administrators.
“Mrs. Garnto has always been so open to work with all departments within the school,” Booher noted of his nominee. “It’s not unusual to come in the library and find two classrooms doing research with Mrs. Garnto right in the middle. She’s always willing to help students in any way she can.”
A personal connection to students and staff is what prompted the Franklin, Tenn., native to turn from her work as a child psychologist to media specialist/librarian. The decision has served her well.
“I was not making that connection as a child psychologist,” recalled Garnto. “I spent so much of the time testing students. I was living in Prince William County when teachers were offered the opportunity to go back to college and become librarians. They called me ‘psycho librarian’ because I worked in the library two days a week and as a child psychologist the rest of the time.”
Now in her sixth year as librarian at Fort Chiswell High School, Garnto is in her element. Her love of all aspects of the library and its users bring her to work early every morning.
“Interacting with the students is the best part of my job,” Garnto remarked. “A close second would be interacting with the staff. I love research and I love the library. I want to be a part of the school community and the larger community as well. Being a librarian gave that to me.”
Garnto is a member of the New River Valley Chapter of Project Linus, an organization of blanket makers for sick or traumatized children. She also is active in the local Cold Nose Warm Heart pet therapy program where pet owners take their animals to visit daycare centers and nursing homes.
Tales with Tails is a program Garnto founded and coordinated with the Wythe Grayson Regional Library in Wytheville. It allows children to practice their reading skills to dogs in the Cold Nose Warm Heart program.
“Mrs. Garnto is a wonderful person to work with,” commented Mary Etta Clemons, interim director of the Wythe Grayson Regional Library. “She brought me information about similar programs and we talked about it before I took it to our board of trustees. It is such a wonderful program where the children come to the library once a month on Saturday mornings and read to the pet therapy dogs. We’d like to have more children participate in the program.”
As part of her VEMA nomination process, Garnto provided a le
ngthy portfolio demonstrating these and other collaborative teaching, leadership roles, organizing special events to promote library services and innovative projects. A grant from Dollar General Stores Youth Literacy Program allowed Garnto to host noted author Sharyn McCrumb and author/NASCAR driver Adam Edwards for a recent library event.
The visit was to promote a digital library collection corner developed by Garnto. This section of the library has new furniture and four laptops with headphones.
Student-made book trailers – much like a movie trailer – are loaded onto the computers. After reading a novel for English class, students use the Photo Story program to make a short movie about the novel as a way to entice other students to read that particular book.
After winning the regional award and accepting a plaque at the Abingdon ceremony, Garnto advanced to the state conference. She picked up the state award at a ceremony in Roanoke.
“I credit the staff here with me winning the award,” Garnto stated. “We have a fun staff, a good friendly group. They help make my job fun and something I look forward to every day.”
Garnto is married to Michael Garnto, an employee of the department of justice. They reside in the Draper Valley Golf Club Estates.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or wquesenberry@wythenews.com
By WAYNE QUESENBERRY
Wytheville Enterprise
Published: March 30, 2010
HEll YEA!!!!! Go MS GARNTO!!!