Can you Draw? Tag? Sketch? (Contest)

The library is upgrading in more ways than one and we need to make sure that each one of our new e-readers are unique. If you're "sick" with a pen or pencil and can draw portraits, landscapes, manga characters or superheroes submit a sample to smiles@techhighschool.org for your chance to be our designated artist in residence and tag our e-readers.

Free Audiobooks!

Sync | Information via kwout

It's 2011. Reading isn't just black print on white paper anymore and you can get into the groove with audiobooks and Sync can help. This Summer get acquainted with great YA titles like Shiver from Maggie Stiefvater about a girl obsessed with wolves who attacked her as a child, but things get complicated when she discovers that their is one wolf that may be paying a little too much attention to her too.

If you're looking to get the jump on the year with a few classic titles they have those too.

Text syncya to 25827 to receive text alerts about all the featured titles. A new title is released each week.

Whiz Kid named the " Lebron James" of Chess

A quick glance at Justus Williams and he looks like a typical 12-year-old. He's quiet, loves Jay-Z and Lil' Wayne, and wears the latest and greatest Air Jordan's. However, don't get fooled. Justus isn't typical at all.

He's an internationally ranked chess master -- the youngest black chess master ever. Justus started playing the game while in an after school program called Chess in the Schools. He's confident, but it's not unwarranted. His chess skills have taken him to Brazil, Canada and Greece.

It's not uncommon to find him challenging and beating opponents four and five times his age.

Justus and his family hope his success in chess will help others experiment outside their comfort zones. They're spreading the word through a campaign called "Dare to be Different." More

The "Dare to be Different" campaign encourages kids to explore paths to success that are unconventional, chess vs. basketball or writing prose vs. hip hop. What's exceptional about you? Are you interested in something that not too many people are pursuing? Tell us about it.

Jill Scott at the White House

While National Poetry Month is long gone there is still great poetry to be found on the net and to whet your appetite here is a little bit of spoken word and poetry from Jill Scott while at the White House.

If you have a poetic soul, take some time to write this Summer, because Verses and Voices, Tech High's spoken word troupe, will resume in the Fall and even if you don't join they host poetry slams throughout the year.

Happy Writing.