Oddly enough, the biggest room in Leesville Road High School is one of the most neglected. This aforementioned labyrinth of books and computers is more commonly known as the media center.
As I pushed past the turnstile, I saw Lynne Carroll, a select member of the librarian cast.
For my first question, I inquired whether she had intended to be a librarian her entire life; her answer was humbling.
“I’m not a librarian. I’m a media specialist,” she said.
Instantaneously, one of the most common misconceptions about the Leesville media center was dismissed. The library does in fact not have librarians.
Before I could spout out more questions, Carroll began with an interview of her own.
Before I knew it, I had shared how old I was, where I wanted to attend college, where my parents went to college and my future career plans.
And just like that, Carroll was off, speedily helping a teacher check out books for his class, scheduling a teacher to bring her class in on short-term notice and aiding a freshman with using the copy-machine for the first time.
I had never before realized just how much work the media specialists perform. The media center was extremely busy, and Carroll was working virtually alone.
“After all the budget cuts, we are short staffed frequently,” she said.
Noting the dedication Carroll had to the school, I decided to delve deeper into her personal life.
Carroll attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth where she received a teaching degree. However, there were no teaching jobs available, so the degree was never used.
Carroll admits that her favorite part about the school is the students. “I love being involved with them, and helping them. I love the high school atmosphere,” she added.
Finally, I decided to tackle the issue of the bad rap of being mean that our media specialists receive. When I asked what she thought about people claiming media specialists were mean, Carroll offered unique insight:
“We have to be rigid to keep the media center quiet. Many students are tired of being in school, so the media center is a welcoming place to them to get away from the activities of the day. Keeping the media center quiet makes that possible,” she said.
Leesville agrees that she does a great job.
Will Bennett is a remarkable staff writer who was recruited from his early days. In fact, before Bennett could even speak, the Mycenaean took serious interest in him. While many consider this practice to be unethical, the Leesville editors disagree. Alex Stewart claims that his contributions to the staff have been “Pullitzer Prize” worthy.
In addition to his writing, Bennett enjoys animals, Freshberry Frozen Yogurt, Hip-hop music, and long walks on the beach. He can often be found on his seaside estate composing original music, writing moving poetry, and balling with old basketball greats like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.