Award Winning Author Visits Harlem Elementary

On Tuesday, March 1st, Harlem Elementary kicked off 'I Love To Read Week' with one of the most memorable series of presentations ever!

That evening, award winning author, Mr. Ben Mikaelsen, shared his background and life's adventures during a 'meet and greet the author' appearance. With the community in attendance, Mr. Mikaelsen explained how to "Find the Heart of the Story," while displaying photos of the catalysts which stimulated many of the storylines for his books, two of which may possibly become movies in the near future.

Immediately following the presentation, each book members of the audience purchased was autographed along with a personalized message from the author.

As an added bonus, Mr. Mikaelsen was very gracious as he joined in many photos with his grateful listeners.

Bright and early Wednesday morning found the author once again back at Harlem Elementary to present two more assemblies.

The first gathering included students from kindergarten through second grade, followed by another presentation for grades three through six.

It was absolutely amazing to watch Mr. Mikaelson weave his magic to keep audiences of such diverse ages – from preschoolers to elementary students to adults, engrossed at all times. It was a wonderful experience to see how the students eagerly listened and participated in the lively presentation.

Harlem Elementary staff and students, along with our community members, are grateful to Mr. Ben Mikaelsen for carving time out of his extremely busy schedule to share his experiences and expertise.

Everyone, especially our students, will benefit from his message as they realize that someone with such humble beginnings and considerable struggles, can overcome whatever obstacles stand in the way to become whoever they choose to be, even nationally acclaimed authors!