With an avid love for all things superheroes, a growing collection of 72 pairs of Converses, and the supposed ability to fight at least six toddlers in a five minute time span, Suzanne Swain is a unique and welcome addition to our Bolsa Grande family.
Ms. Swain attended Palm Beach School of the Arts High School at her hometown in Palm Beach, Florida. This artistic magnet school taught her the importance of creativity and taking challenges in her life.
Leaving the comfort of her home in Palm Beach, Florida, Ms. Swain attended Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee. There, she received her Bachelors degree in Elementary and Middle School Education, her Masters in Library Media, and Educational Specialists in Educational Technology.
Back in Tennessee, Ms. Swain worked as a 7th and 8th grade English teacher for 7 years at Algood Middle School. During her job, she realized that she had grown to love books and the literary world in general; she then realized how much she wanted to become a librarian.
“At my previous school, I was a big fish in a little pond and unfortunately, you run out of water. I think it’s better for me to start out here as a small fish in a big pond and see if I can make my way in the world.”
Upon arriving at Bolsa Grande High School, Ms. Swain felt terrified after taking her first steps into the spacious and air-conditioned library, considering it was a new job in an unfamiliar place. However, her first day at Bolsa would turn around upon meeting the friendly students and staff.
“My first day at Bolsa was phenomenal because I realized how kind all the students are, and the faculty and staff were a true blessing all day long. I realized that that first day indicated to me that this was the perfect job for me for the rest of my career.”
As a passionate reader, Ms. Swain mentioned her love for books--more specifically, books with strong female leads. The top seller, The Hunger Games, is a favorite of this librarian. She encourages students to pursue different types of literature to read, while would help them expand their perspective. With an answer to any question, regardless of absurdity, Ms. Swain has become a library genie.
Aside from the typical bookie habits, Ms. Swain has made it her goal to bring change to Bolsa. Many students will notice the new welcome renovations, along with the calming scent of the library. The library has become, as it was meant to be, a homy haven for studying and reading. Occasionally, as some students might notice, Ms. Swain may even hand out food or snacks for helping her out. M&Ms, Oreos, books and a peaceful atmosphere have made the library the ideal place to stay and study.
As a quirky and friendly addition to Bolsa Grande, Ms. Swain plans on making the library much more functional to the school. Previously, the library was only open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday. Now, the library shall be open every day in the morning, lunch time, and after school until 3:30. Moreover, since the school is becoming more technologically-affiliated, the library shall also have ebooks available for checkout and more Internet content to use!
"I think it's going to be a challenge but it's going to be one that I am going to love every single moment of every day."