HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Hampton City Schools need volunteers for its first ever living library, which allows students to connect with the community and exposes them to different industries that will help them with those experiences. 

All public school 8th graders will get the opportunities to meet people from the community and beyond. 

“A living library is an opportunity for our students to check out a real life person based on their interests,” said Erica Spencer, a business Partner Integration Coordinator. “So, instead of opening up a textbook, they get to check out a real person and learn their story based on common interests.”

The living library allows 8th graders to sit down and interview people and is part of the school’s curriculum, a program in the school’s transformation to a next-generation learning community. It ensures students are college, career and life ready.

This living library is specifically designed for 8th graders to help them complete community impact projects based off of interacting with community members. 

“This is an authentic field experience for our young people that brings them in connection with community careers themselves, and it truly embodies the transformation in Hampton City Schools,” said James Harris, chief academic officer for Hampton City Schools. 

Here’s how it works: you fill out the form, and an 8th grade student will meet you in person to learn more about you. You have until Wednesday, Sept. 18, to sign up. 

“This is giving our students an opportunity to have a diverse outlook on what’s in the community, and what they could be, and even exposing them to things they didn’t even know they were interested in,” Spencer said.

Anyone from the Hampton Roads area can sign up. 

“It’s truly what we call bringing the community together to really give young people hope, opportunities [and] possibilities,” Harris said, “based on where they see themselves right now.”