 For the last two years, San Miguel has been the recipient of the We the People Bookshelf, a program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The program provides books and materials for school libraries based around a specific theme. Last year's theme was Picturing America and San Miguel received books and laminated posters of artwork related to the themes of the books in collection. For example, the theme of Displaced Americans featured Migrant Mother taken by Dorothea Lange and Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange written by Elizabeth Partridge. (Other examples are listed below.)
Throughout the year San Miguel's librarian created a monthly display of a picture from the Picturing America program outside of the school library, and each month students worked on a project related to the month's picture. The themes and questions asked as a part of the projects often pushed students to draw comparisons between these historical scenes and their own lives in 2009-2010.
"Personally, I enjoyed working one-on-one with students that voluntarily committed their time after school to work on these projects," said librarian Nathan Yoder. "I pushed them a bit; asking questions that made them analyze and draw comparisons, but was repeatedly impressed with how much our students are capable of realizing. I loved teaching my passions and watching them think through their answers."
In the upcoming year San Miguel plans to continue the projects around this year's theme of A More Perfect Union, which includes books such as Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Beals. This book, focusing on racial relationships should be interesting to students as it pertains to their own academic lives. Students will explore representative democracy, racial equality, or labor rights, and ask themselves, "How is this creating a more perfect union?" 
To build on the program the librarian plans to develop a book club allowing students and the librarian to read a few chapters of a book each week and discuss them after school, as well as host "family reading night" or "community reading night," which could include guest readers (such as community leaders or local authors), storytelling, and arts and crafts based on the books. These events will promote the program as well as the importance of reading as a family.
San Miguel appreciates enriching programs like We the People Bookshelf, which provide students with the resources and opportunities to open their minds and learn in a unique and meaningful way.
Other Picturing America themes:
Native American Populations featuring Catlin Painting the Portrait of Mah-to-toh-pa - Mandan painted by George Catlin, Sans Arc Lakota painted by Black Hawk, and The Birchbark House written by Louise Erdrich.
American Civil Rights Movement: MLK featuring Selma-to-Montgomery March for Voting Rights in 1965 taken by James Karales.
American Presidents featuring George Washington painted by Gilbert Stuart, Abraham Lincoln taken by Alexander Gardner, and Our White House: Looking In Looking Out compiled by the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance.
American Landscapes featuring View from Mount Holyoke (The Oxbow) painted by Thomas Cole, Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California painted by Albert Bierstadt, and Travels with Charlie written by John Steinbeck.
Urban America featuring The Dove created by Romare Bearden and Sweet Music in Harlem written by Debbie A. Taylor.
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