Fahrenheit 451
BY Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451 (1953) is a dystopian novel about a world in which the government seeks to destroy books. It tells the story of an ordinary man named Guy Montag who starts the novel burning books for a living and ends it risking his life to protect them. His experience is a testament to the way books can ignite our minds, connect us to others, and create community.
Meet the Team
Big Read Leaders
Albion's 2016 Big Read Student Leaders were rising 8th, 9th, and 10th graders who call Albion home. These students independently led and facilitated community-wide book discussions throughout October 2016 and are role models for their peers, neighbors, and the greater Albion community. We celebrate the open hearts and minds of the following 2016 Big Read Student Leaders:
Carl Bates
Emmylou Roberts Christensen
Denisha Harris
Kei'Asianique Hill*
Larenz Hill*
Ian Lee*
Cedriana March*
Deonta March
Cassie Porter*
Autumn Sisler
Sylvia Sisler
Fred Steward
Ta'Jyanna Steward
Terek Straham*
A'Veion Washington*
Danielle Washington*
Jason Whetstone
Da'Sani White
* denotes students who return as Albion Big Read Leaders for the second year
College Volunteers
Our summer training program would not be possible without the outstanding mentorship and commitment from volunteer student mentors from Albion College. The work our college mentors offer is entirely volunteer based. These students apply and interview for their role in Albion's Big Read, and we value their hard work and dedication. We celebrate the leadership and commitment of the following 2016 college volunteers:
Alice Garvin
Albion College, class of 2017
Marley Guy
Albion College, class of 2018
Virginia Kivel
Albion College, class of 2018
Casey McCormicK
Albion College, class of 2019
Abigail Radwick
Albion College, class of 2017
Ashlin Tabiadon
Albion College, class of 2017
These courageous, local 8th, 9th, and 10th graders facilitated community-wide discussions about Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 in October 2016.
Big Read Committee
In addition to local youth and college students, Albion's Big Read is made possible through the generous efforts of a committee made up of college and community leaders. Albion's Big Read Committee chose the Big Read novel, Fahrenheit 451, designed events and programming, collaborated with countless local organizations, and met monthly to further the progress of Albion's most recent Big Read. We would like to thank the following members of Albion's Big Read Committee for their irreplaceable support of 2016 our program:
- Kimberly Arndts, Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship, Albion College, and Vice President, Albion District Library Board of Trustees
- Jamie Bernard, Head of Youth Services, Albion District Library
- Harry Bonner, Executive Director, Kids at Hope and Substance Abuse Prevention Services
- Laura Brownell, English teacher, Marshall High School
- Nels Christensen, Associate Professor of English, Albion College
- Madeline Drury, Assistant Director of Albion's Big Read
- Mandy Dubiel, Director of Admissions, Albion College
- Mae Ola Dunklin, Albion NAACP, Board of Trustees, Albion College, and retired Albion educator
- Joni Parks, Principal and Assistant Superintendent, Albion Community School
- Jess Roberts, Director of Albion's Big Read and Professor of English, Albion College
- Mary Slater, Owner, Albion Heritage Bed & Breakfast, member, Albion Sister City Committee, and secretary, Friends of the Bohm Theatre Board of Directors
- Cindy Stanczak, Director of Albion District Library
- Rhiki Swinton, Admissions Counselor, Albion College and Albion College Graduate, class of 2016
- Keena Williams, Director of Intercultural Affairs and President's Special Adviser for Global Diversity, Albion College
2016 Sponsors
We would like to thank all of our generous sponsors. We could not have made our second Big Read so special without them and their support. Click any of the sponsors below to learn more.
- National Endowment for the Arts
- Arts Midwest
- Albion Philanthropic Women
- Albion Community Foundation
- Albion-Homer United Way
- Albion District Library
- Caster Concepts
News Stories
Albion's Big Read has a presence throughout local media outlets year round. Check out the links and photos below to read more about the NEA grant, our 2016 Big Read Leaders, local partnerships, and more. Stories are listed by date with the most recent publication at the top. Click the green text to open a link to the online articles.
APRIL 2017 - "National Endowment for the Arts Quarterly Newsletter - Spring 2017"
JANUARY 30, 2017 - "Albion, Michigan reads Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451"
We would like to thank the NEA for another beautiful feature! This one shares photos and quotes from the 2016 Final Report we submitted in November. The final report provides a detailed summary of our local partnerships, October programming and events, and the overall impact that this shared reading experience had on our community.
NOVEMBER 2016 - The photos and articles below appeared in the ArtsMidwest 2016 End of Year Report.
NOVEMBER 18, 2016 - "Author Rita Williams-Garcia Closes Albion Big Read 2016"
OCTOBER 27, 2016 - The two articles below were featured in Albion's local newspaper, The Recorder.
Click any of the newspaper articles to make them larger.
OCTOBER 20, 2016 - The two articles below were featured in Albion's local newspaper, The Recorder.
OCTOBER 14, 2016 - "Dom Flemons Wants Americans to Go Back and Fetch Their History"
OCTOBER 7, 2016 - "Albion's Big Read Commences With Holland Park Event"
OCTOBER 6, 2016 - The article below was featured in Albion's local newspaper, The Recorder.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 - The two articles below were featured in Albion's local newspaper, The Recorder.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 - "The Big Read Is Warming Up"
SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 - "Former Softball OF Helps Prepare Big Read Leaders"
AUGUST 18, 2016 - The article below was featured in Albion's local newspaper, The Recorder.
JULY 28, 2016 - The article below was featured in Albion's local newspaper, The Recorder.
JUNE 27, 2016 - "Albion Launches Second NEA Big Read Grant"
JUNE 2, 2016 - The article below was featured in the Albion E-News.
JUNE 8, 2016 - "Albion-Homer United Way: Investing in Albion & Homer Communities"
MAY 11, 2016 - "NEA Brings 'The Big Read' Back to Albion"
APRIL 4, 2016 - "Second Big Read Likely to Catch Fire"
FEBRUARY 2016 - The article below was featured in Albion's local newspaper, The Recorder.
In February 2016, Albion's Big Read quilt was officially displayed in the Albion Community School library. Local 6th, 7th, and 8th graders decorated squares with words and drawings that share what they enjoy about books, authors, and reading. We would like to send a special thanks to Micki Ogilbee for sewing the quilt squares together and completing the 11-foot quilt!