The Black 'n' White

Meet Kathy Thompson, the media specialist at Furry Elementary and Meadowlawn Intermediate schools. Mrs. Thompson has been at Perkins for 31 years. At the end of the 2025-2026 school year, she retired. First, we have to say thank you to Mrs. Thompson for her service to the school district and the children here. Second, oh my, it's great that she agreed to be a guest on The Black 'n' White. She is s...

Perkins High School senior Parker Camp recently sat down for an interview with The Black 'n' White. She talks about her future after high school and her intention to attend Florida Gulf Coast University (hurricanes and all), and her part-time job at a local bookstore (where she gets a great employee discount). She also discusses her favorite book, "A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagih...

Children’s book author and undersea photographer Michael Patrick O’Neill joins The Black ‘n’ White for Episode 6. Mr. O’Neill talks about how he transitioned from being a data analyst in the corporate world to finding his true calling, capturing images of sea creatures, and sharing them with young readers. Mr. O’Neill was a guest author at Furry Elementary and Meadowlawn Intermediate schools on Ma...

Perkins High School senior Susan Nichols talks about her love of reading and her favorite book series ( Maze Runner by James Dashner). She also talked about how she came to Perkins Schools at the start of the 2024-2025 school year, and reconnected with some old friends.

Dozens of Perkins Pirates, in Kindergarten to 5th Grade, braved chilly temperatures to come out to the first Read Under the Lights event at Firelands Health Stadium at Perkins High School. Students, along with their parents and siblings, brought books and blankets to chill and read. Many of them took a break from their books to share what they are reading. Many of them also shared why they like to...

Ms. Sandy is a familiar face who greets Pirates each morning and tells them to have a great evening at the end of the day. She also reads a ton of books, and it is very common to see her with a book while she waits for the kids to board Bus No. 22. Ms. Sandy talks about author Mark Greaney's "Gray Man" series, which she just began, what she expects out of a "good book," and...

In this episode, Adam West, a 2024 graduate of Perkins High School, sat down to catch up on his life since graduation and his plans to become a teacher. He also talks about his favorite book and the book he is now reading. He also shares his love of reading – and how when he was an elementary student he struggled with reading and when he discovered the magic of reading after he was placed in a gif...

This Perkins High School senior has a great story to tell. Annaliese has plans to attend Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, where she will study dance. She also is an avid reader – and creative writer. Her favorite book is The Inheritance Games, a trilogy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

In this prequel episode of The Black 'n' White, Furry Elementary School teacher Pamela Shirtz chats about reading. Mrs. Shirtz, a former 1st-grade teacher, took a new role during the 2025-2026 school year as a Literacy Coach. In this role, she works one-on-one and in small groups with elementary students. As a veteran educators, Mrs. Shirtz also works with her fellow teachers and helps them be bet...