By Jordan Hanzon, Marketing & PR

Did you know that the J. Willard Marriott has community outreach programming? Recently, librarian Marina Narvaez demonstrated this when she visited a local 4th grade class at Elk Run Elementary to share her love of the library with them. “I believe programs that support K-12 schools give volunteers the opportunity to break up the students’ day with some excitement while providing the enrichment of an extracurricular academic program,” explains Narvaez. Other library programs that focus on K-12 outreach also have proven successful such as the library’s Book Arts Treasure Chest that engages students in hands-on book making. 

The visit from Marina is part of the Junior Achievement program, an opportunity that she learned about while attending a financial conference for women. Marina used to be a fourth-grade teacher, so she jumped at the opportunity to work with them again. “I really enjoyed working with these students,” recounts Marina. “They were exactly as I remembered—excited to have a visitor, ready to voice their ideas and, with a little encouragement, happy to learn.”