Fairfax, VA – From August 1, through August 31, 2021, Fairfax City’s Office of Economic Development in partnership with City of Fairfax Schools invites students of Katherine Johnson Middle School and families to take a StoryWalk® through Old Town Fairfax City and Fair City Mall. The StoryWalk encourages students to read and engage with city businesses.
Both walks are FREE and each will feature a different book on Katherine Johnson that is designed to get students outdoors, learn more about the African American mathematician Katherine Johnson, the new namesake of the middle school, and to support the local business community.
Each walk can be completed at one’s own pace with pages posted in participating business storefront windows. In addition to book text and illustrations, an easy-to-read map and a fill in the blank activity page accompany the walk.
“We are proud to partner with our city schools and Fair City Mall on the StoryWalk® project,” said Danette Nguyen, Assistant Director of Economic Development. “We invite Katherine Johnson Middle School students and city residents to come out and experience Old Town Fairfax City and Fair City Mall in a new and creative way as they shop, eat, and enjoy time with family.”
The Old Town Fairfax City walk includes 15 stops and features the book DK Life Stories: Katherine Johnson written by Ebony Joy Wilkins. The Fair City Mall walk features Hidden Figures written by Margot Lee Shetterly and includes 8 stops. Copies of maps for both books can be picked up at the City of Fairfax Library, participating businesses, or downloaded at fairfaxcityconnected.com/kjstorywalk. The first 100 completed activity pages submitted to [email protected] for each story will receive a copy of the book and be entered into a raffle to win one of six gift cards to a Fairfax City business.
“As we welcome our students back to school in the fall, there is no better way for Katherine Johnson MS students and future KJMS students to learn about our new namesake,” said Dr. Phyllis Pajardo, Superintendent of the City of Fairfax Schools. “We are honored to have such a strong community that supports our students and schools and we thank the City of Fairfax Office of Economic Development team and the many businesses who are participating in the Katherine Johnson StoryWalk®. Now students, let’s get walking and reading!”
To learn more about the Katherine Johnson Middle School StoryWalk® event, visit fairfaxcityconnected.com/kjstorywalk.
STORYWALK® is a national program created by the Anne Ferguson of Montpelier Vermont and developed in conjunction with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.