Battle Ground Public Schools

Battle Ground High School celebrates purchase of books in more languages

Jan. 4, 2024

BGHS recently purchased nearly 200 books in Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish

On the Friday before winter break, students at Battle Ground High School took turns filing into the school library, cycling through different tables and checking out games and activities common in other cultures throughout the world. 

This year’s pre-break holiday celebration, dubbed “Joy to the World” by teacher-librarian Kelly Briddon, was a celebration of a $4,000 grant the school received from the Ellison Foundation to purchase books in Spanish, Russian and Ukrainian.

“We have a growing population of students from places like Ukraine and up until now we haven’t really had resources for them,” Briddon said. “It’s important for them to feel comfortable in the library and have access to books that they can read and understand on the same level as their peers.”

Briddon said the grant funding allowed them to purchase around 200 books, including some that were on the list for English teachers at the school.

“This provides them the opportunity to keep up with their peers, to feel more comfortable in the classroom and to understand that we really care about them,” Briddon said.

In addition to various games and puzzles, students visiting the event were able to learn about how other cultures celebrate the holidays, from Chinese New Year to Diwali in India, Hanukkah in Israel, Las Posadas in Mexico and many others.

“I just think it’s really important for students to be able to see and understand other cultures,” said Briddon, “but also so students who celebrate those days can feel a sense of place and belonging.”