“– there was to be a pageant representing our county’s agricultural products; I was to be a ham. Jem said he would escort me to the school auditorium. Thus began our longest journey together.”

I was watching the tube the other night, a rare and usually disappointing experience, when I stumbled upon the 1962 release of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, winner of 3 of those; the accolades are not without warrant. I’ll admit it, I cried more than once, got goose bumps more than twice and haven’t been able to get it off my mind since. Because of that night, I’ve been reminded of the look of the cover and of the way I felt turning the pages. Honestly I can say, To Kill a Mockingbird changed my life and my point of view.

“I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them.”

Written in 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird set in 1936, recounts the events of author Harper Lee’s childhood town. This story is crucial to the fabric of the history of our Country. It is one that depicts the remarkable moments that force us to grow up. It is a story that any reader cannot help but feel deeply connected with. To Kill a Mockingbird is a book that should be at the forefront of every student’s education; be it in the eighth grade or beyond. All teachers should be equipped with a classroom set, enabling our students to read the book, take it home and find the heart of the story that resonates within themselves.

The goal of “walking with a ham” is to provide each teacher with 35 copies of To Kill a Mockingbird and a DVD to create a classroom set. If you are someone who has been moved at all by this book, if you have heard the words of Harper Lee, I urge you to consider this opportunity to help. There are several ways to reach out to this project. Some are listed below. Please don’t hesitate to contact me to see which one works for you or to offer different angles.

- send a copy or copies of the book
- send gift cards for Barnes and Noble
- a check made out to RSD
- a check made out to Barnes and Nobles
- manually transcribe the book as a gilded illuminated manuscript
…it’s up to you

“I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.”

www.nolaschoolvolunteers.org