“Book Match-Making” Festival at TAC
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library” Jorge Luis Borges
The "Book Match-Making Festival", offered by the Tarsus American College Turkish Language and Literature Department for the second time with the hopes of making it a tradition at TAC, was fascinating.
The book matching activity had several steps: first, our Prep students carefully read their selected books. Next, they covered them with wrapping and decorations which they decorated with various clues about the books. Finally, the covered books were left them on the table in the library for display. Different from its first year, this year's activity also required students to make a promotional video, and create a costume, which both required effort and complemented the process in a meaningful way.
The activity, which was made possible with the dedicated efforts of Turkish Language and Literature Teachers, Mikail İncir and Tuba Karabağ, culminated with excited faces and students dressed in costumes to represent their favorite book charater. The inspiring remarks of Principal Mrs. Yüksel about books and life was followed by “Kafka’s story”, as told by Mr. Önder Şit, the chair of the Turkish Language and Literature Department, who was dressed in the bug costume of Gregor Samsa inspired by “The Metamorphosis”. At that moment, the audience was also thinking about the opening of the book, and they found themselves encapsulated in the first sentence "When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a horrific bug”.
During the contest, the students received awards for the “Most Creative Costume”, “Best Book Cover Design” and “Most Impressive Video” categories. The selections for “Most Creative Costume” were made by a jury panel made up of our Activity Coordinator, Mrs. Gülay Damar, who was recognized for her exceptional contributions, English Teacher, Eray Biçer, and Assistant Principal, Sheila Salim, and the winner was Ezgi Hazal Eşsizoğlu for her lively and colorful inspiration from “The Tortoise Trainer”.
The jury for “Best Book Cover Design” was Ms. Tuba Karabağ, Mrs. Bilgen Milas (teachers of Turkish Language and Literature) and Ms. Sezin Özkan, our Librarian and Education Technologist, and they awarded the first place to Lara Özbozoğanlı.
The selection of the “Most Impressive Video” was made by Mr. Önder Şit, Head of Department of Turkish Language and Literature, and Mr. Mikail İncir from the same department, and English Teacher, Eray Biçer, and Nil Miray Ergin was the winner with her promo video for “Book Thief”.
Following the remarks by Headmaster Mr. Leathwood, where he volubly expressed the importance and impacts of reading by using very striking examples, the “book characters” and the participants moved to the reception. After the opportunity to enjoy conversation and delicious treats, many snapshots were taken on the Stickler stairs and in the school garden, and then, the participants, who were still in disguise, fielded questions about the antagonists in their books.
It was apparent that the intense preparation and the attention to every detail paid off as the festival left us all with a desire to celebrate books, to dream, and to embrace change - which lit everyone’s faces in the end.