Award-winning producer, author visits Ardmore High

Published 6:00 am Thursday, January 24, 2019

From weaving baskets with pine needles to decorating the library’s windows, students at Ardmore High School have participated in several projects around a common theme: Alabama’s state tree, the longleaf pine.

Last week, they were able to take their learning a step further with a visit from “Discovering Alabama” producer and “Longleaf” author Roger Reid.

“We were really lucky that it all worked out and he could visit them right after they read the book,” said Starr de Graffenreid, who teaches art at the school.

Librarian Ashley Daly said it was de Graffenreid who recommended the book to her. After realizing what a great read the adventure-survival story would be for students at Ardmore, Daly created an arts-integrated literacy project based on “Longleaf.”

“I like reading Alabama authors in general, but school kids love adventure survival,” Daly said.

The book is set in Conecuh National Forest and combines scientific fact with a mystery storyline as a means of bringing the forest alive for young readers.

“He said he wanted to talk about the forest in a nonscientific way sometimes,” Daly said. “You learn about the forest through the book and don’t even realize it sometimes.”

Daly said the school reached out to Reid to see if he would be interested in visiting students to discuss his experiences in writing and film production. As it happened, filming for Alabama Public Television’s “Discovering Alabama” would bring the Emmy award-winning director and producer close enough to Ardmore to stop by.

“He was really interesting and engaging,” de Graffenreid said. “… We do use the ‘Discovering Alabama’ show in our classroom, so it was neat to hear him talking about the wild animals and how they caught some of the scenes.”

Students were also able to ask questions about his writing process and how “Longleaf” came to be.

“It was interesting to hear from an author and what went through his head in writing different scenes,” de Graffenreid said.

Reid met with two groups of middle and high school students on Jan. 18. Daly said he signed books for people who bought them and even a few for the school’s library. She said students seemed to enjoy his visit and asked a lot of questions.

“He’s very knowledgeable and he made me really want to physically go see the longleaf pine forest and visit the place he wrote about,” she said.

It’s something some students will get to see later this spring when the naturalist studies program at Ardmore travels to Conecuh National Forest. Students previously visited Monte Sano to meet DeSoto naturalist Britney Hughes and learn about longleaf pine basketry.

“I could really get into the basketweaving,” Daly said. “I need a couple more lessons, but I found it very calming and satisfying to do it.”

Daly said she hopes to incorporate Reid’s other two books, “Time” and “Space,” in future literacy projects. “Time” is set at the Steven C. Minkin Paleozoic Footprint Site, while “Space” takes place at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.