P.E. teacher advocates for new LGBT+ library section
Reading one of her favorite books, “The Right Side of History” by Adrian Brooks, P.E. teacher Hopkins sits next to just one of several racks that will soon be unpacked into the library.
When gym teacher Nancy Hopkins walks through her Cardio Center in the school, she feels a great sense of pride. After all, she came up with the idea for the center, contacted people from around the country to get items to sell, and held a huge auction to fund it. Now, the center houses six gym classes a day.
Soon, Hopkins will feel the same sense of pride in another area of the building: the library.
Hopkins’ new project is creating an area of the library specific to LGBT+ themed-books.
“There really isn’t anything for those kids that’s directed toward them,” she said.
Principal Myron Graber became involved when Hopkins mentioned the idea to him near the beginning of the school year.
I just wanted to leave an impression that kids will remember. I’m not looking for accolades, I’m not looking for anything except to help those kids. — Nancy Hopkins
“She came in and talked about how we could enhance selections of books for different groups, because the district has an equity goal of providing equal access to resources for our students,” Graber said.
Hopkins also needed to contact Leslie Campbell, the school’s new librarian, about creating room for the books.
“I thought it was a wonderful idea so we discussed it and we’re going to set aside a portion of our special collections area to make it happen,” Campbell said.
The special collections area is located on the low shelves near the circulation desk. Campbell planned on having around 100 books in the section at the beginning, but Hopkins has received positive response and over 250 books.
“I think more are going to come,” Hopkins said. “I’m pretty proud of that.”
Instead of fundraising like she did with the Cardio Center, Hopkins has emailed authors who write about LGBT+ characters or themes and asked them to send her free copies of their books. One author, Bill Konigsberg, came to the school to deliver 50 books and talk to students.
Campbell said some authors have also agreed to give access to their ebooks.
“[The ebooks] will just be searchable as all of them are,” Campbell said. “So we’re not going to have a special section in the ebooks.”
Additionally, Hopkins hopes to give duplicates she may receive to the LHS library.
Although she is known as a PE teacher and coach, Hopkins’ presence has spread far outside of the gyms and volleyball courts. She hopes to make a difference and leave a legacy that lasts long after she leaves the building.
“I just wanted to leave an impression that kids will remember,” Hopkins said. “I’m not looking for accolades, I’m not looking for anything except to help those kids.”
Graber believes she has already done so.
“She’s very good about contacting people and knowing people,” he said. “She just goes at it full speed ahead so that is awesome.”
