Posted by CHCCS on 5/24/2022 7:00:00 AM
Congratulations to Gabriel Graña, Media Specialist at Smith Middle School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Gabriel was nominated by CHCCS students Nicholas Nolan, Alexandra Jamieson, and Ella Levy, as well as ELL teacher Christiaan Van Jimenez.
“He tries his hardest to make the library the safest space in this school. He's been making us happy by speaking up for us.” - Nicholas Nolan
“He's a great librarian and a great ally to the lgbtq+ community! He's very kind to people and hosts events like Harry Potter Week.” - Alexandra Jamieson
“He supports LGBTQIA+ unconditionally, he steps out of the way to support pride month and he's always very helpful and kind.” - Ella Levy
“In addition to being our amazing bilingual librarian, Mr. Graña has worked tirelessly to make Smith Middle School the most inviting place it can be. He has opened the library to students every minute of the day and has made it a safe space for everyone. He works to help students make connections with others to support their emotional as well as intellectual growth. He supports the ESL, EC, and AIG departments, jumps into classes, leads sessions in the library, and makes it a mission to cultivate a love of reading everywhere he goes. During the pandemic he reached out to and facilitated virtual meet and greets with authors. He continues to work with the Equity Team to bolster representation in our school community and curriculum.” - Christiaan Van Jimenez
