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nancy@nancykeane.com
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Fields, Terri.
AFTER THE DEATH OF ANNA GONZALES
New York : Henry Holt, 2002.
IL YA
ISBN 080507127X
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| Picture
this: It's the beginning of an ordinary school day. The bell has
just rung. The halls are almost empty except for a few students trying
to make it into homeroom before they're marked tardy. Some teachers
have begun taking attendance. Some are making mental notes of lesson
plans for the day. Students are thinking about the quiz or exam they
have to take today, or the homework they didn't do last night. The
day officially gets under way as usual with morning announcements being
read over the PA: "Today is Thursday, October 3rd. Volleyball practice
has been moved to 5:00pm. The chess club will meet today in Mr. Malkin's
room. Congratulations to the JV football team on last night's 14-0
win against the Raiders. Go JV! Student Council will be selling spirit
T-shirts during both lunch periods all week in honor of their victory.
And now we have a special announcement from the principal." Principal
(read in a different voice): "I am sorry to have to tell you of the death
of one of our students. Anna Gonzales took her life last night. Our sympathies
go out to her family and friends. Grief counselors will be available all
day." "Thank you principal. That's all the announcements for today!
Everybody have a nice day!" And so, life goes on, but how does it
go on? How does one life really affect another? If I am here
today and not tomorrow, would that make an impact on your life in any way?
Anna Gonzales is dead. She committed suicide. If you could
take a notebook and somehow chronicle what went through the minds of students
and faculty immediately after that announcement was made, you would know
what happened on the day After the Death of Anna Gonzales. (Virginia Wright,
wrightvi@oplin.lib.oh.us) |
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SUBJECTS:
Suicide -- Poetry.
High schools -- Poetry.
Schools -- Poetry.
American poetry. |
© 
Permission is granted for the
noncommercial duplication and use of this resource, provided it is substantially
unchanged from its present form and appropriate credit is given.
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