PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Natasha White ’18, master of library and information studies, likens her life as a librarian to being a facilitator of joy. As the school librarian at Alfred Lima Elementary School, the largest public elementary school in Providence, White has been pushing back against scrutiny over low test scores, poorly run buildings, and challenging communication with bilingual families through her broadcast news program, run by herself and fifth graders.

​In her first year at Lima Elementary, White started the news crew program and has persisted through the COVID-19 pandemic while growing community connections. For the past six years, fourth graders are encouraged to apply for one of the four coveted spots on the news team during their year in fifth grade. Interested students fill out a packet explaining their interest, along with information completed by a parent, their fourth grade teacher, and another teacher from the school.

“700 students! This is how we reach out to our families and classrooms so that we can stay connected and celebrate all the important things that are happening,” said White.

Each week, the team of four selected journalists meets with their publisher, White, about what they want to cover on the weekly show. To help engineer topics, they have a calendar of events ranging from Martin Luther King Day to Pretzel Day. During the week, White encourages the students to come up with questions pertaining to their selected topic, with the goal of keeping the story in their voice. On a typical news day (Fridays), the news crew films and can be found roaming the hallways looking for teachers and students to interview. Students have also advocated for presenting their news shows in bilingual formats.

“My basic philosophy around it is that everyone has a story to tell, and when you have the power, the students will take things so much further than you can imagine. They need to know they have a voice and it matters. They are the ones who insisted on it being bilingual. They came up with the joke of the week, the fun fact of the week, and the bloopers. They keep taking it to the next level, and I’m there to supervise, encourage, and inspire,” said White.

The program has been so successful in the last several years that the school has been featured nationally on PBS News Hour. Ocean State Media reported on the students’ coverage on media literacy and what the typical newsweek looks like for White and her journalists. The students recorded a reflection on the visit.

Lima Elementary has also worked with Ocean State Media in the past. In 2022, the media organization was tagged in Lima’s news segment about the school’s competition for best reader. From there, Ocean State reached out to collaborate, resulting in a transgenerational day on Halloween with teens and elders in the journalism industry.

“When I was in a classroom, reading levels and tests sucked the joy out of it. This is an opportunity for students to celebrate and shine in these big and small moments,” said White.

White was originally a classroom teacher for thirteen years before changing course. Originally born in Connecticut, White moved to Rhode Island in the fifth grade, and later enrolled at Rhode Island College (RIC) and graduated in 1999 with degrees in elementary education and psychology. In 2003, she was hired in Providence as an elementary school teacher. While her love of teaching did not wane, burnout set in. It was time for a change.

“I loved helping students pick books they wanted to read so that they felt seen and less alone. No matter who is in front of you, they have a story to tell. No matter where the struggles were, I found it important to empathize and understand that it’s not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing,” said White.

When White reached the conclusion that she wanted to become a librarian, she earned her Master of Library and Information Studies from URI while working full-time.  

“I had the best experience through the URI program; I would recommend it to anyone. They really prepared me for where I’m at now,” said White. “I was Librarian of the Year, I have been able to present at conferences because of this, and even spoke in front of the House and Senate regarding the Freedom to Read Act.”

Over the last ten years, White’s role as a librarian has helped bring the community together through lifelong connections with families, students, and the community. For example, the Providence Public Library attends Lima’s PTO functions and parent/teacher conferences. Project Goal also collaborates with Lima and offers free tutoring and soccer skills for fourth and fifth graders. White is also part of the initiatives web literacy and bias, which encourages students to look at the news with a different point of view.    

“A lot of families are concerned for their safety, and for me being their children’s teacher, they have trust in me when I say libraries are a safe, free space. Libraries are for everyone!” said White.