After weeks of sorting, labeling, hauling, cleaning, decorating, and reorganizing, the transformed Kellond Elementary School library reached an important milestone in mid-August: the kids came in. Principal Angela Schiavone introduced students to the changes Altrusa volunteers and Kellond staff have been working on throughout the summer. The goal from the …
On Friday morning, Susan Young was fitting colorful library posters into frames while other Altrusa volunteers sorted, stickered, cleaned, and shelved books around her. After weeks of intensive work at Kellond Elementary School, Principal Angela Schiavone’s vision for a vibrant literacy center is coming together. Those newly framed posters are …
By early August, the changes at Kellond Elementary School’s library were becoming much easier to see. Shelves were being reorganized, colorful lights were going up, book-inspired artwork was overhead, and a new floor-to-ceiling “Tree of Library Life” was helping turn a little-used school library into something very different. The work …
A New Chapter for the Kellond Elementary Library Last Friday, Altrusa volunteers gathered at Kellond Elementary School to begin what may become a year-long project: partnering with Kellond staff to transform the school library into a more welcoming, relevant, and engaging space for students. Kellond Principal Angela Schiavone has already …
Books Bound for Tanzania Gail Dent and Elaine Wilder recently spent a rewarding day in Green Valley helping prepare books for the nonprofit Libraries for the World to send to a community center and library in Tanzania. Their work was one important step in a much larger process. Deb Chavez …
Twenty talented young writers from across Southern Arizona were recognized this spring as winners of Altrusa International of Tucson’s Young Authors Contest. The winning students were honored during the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, where their original stories and poems were celebrated before family members, educators, …
Altrusa members proudly participated in the Tucson Estates Memorial Day Parade on May 25, 2026, celebrating patriotism, service, and community spirit. Members Elda Lopez, Margaret Watson, and Gwen Gallegos decorated their vehicle in patriotic red, white, and blue to highlight Altrusa’s long-standing motto: “Patriotism, Efficiency, Service.” The parade, organized annually …
The 2026 Young Authors Summer Contest is now open, and students across Southern Arizona are invited to start writing. Sponsored by Altrusa International of Tucson in partnership with the Tucson Festival of Books, the Summer Contest offers an early opportunity for students in kindergarten through high school to submit original …
Altrusa volunteers wrapped up their semester with third graders at Tully Elementary by celebrating the final chapter of The Chocolate Touch—a modern twist on the classic tale of The Midas Touch. In both stories, the idea is simple but powerful: having too much of something you love can come with …
In the weeks leading up to the Tucson Festival of Books, classrooms across Southern Arizona were quietly at work on something special. Elementary students, guided by Altrusa International of Tucson volunteers, created hand-drawn posters to welcome visiting authors to the University of Arizona campus. Each poster reflected a student’s interpretation …
