Summer Reading

We are excited to announce the 2023 JHS Summer Read: How to Change Everything: The Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other by Naomi Klein, adapted by Rebecca Stefoff.

What is the JHS Summer Reading program?

Last year, a team of educators re-envisioned the Summer Reading Program as a school-wide experience in which all students and faculty read the same text and engage with each other in classes and school-wide experiences related to the topics raised in the text. You may recall that last summer's book was Anthony Ray Hinton's The Sun Does Shine.

This year's text was chosen in connection with the 2023 Social Justice Week theme of Climate Justice, and our Science department will take the lead on facilitating conversations about this text next fall.

What's the book about?

How to Change Everything speaks to the roles of individuals, corporations, and governments in fighting for the planet and vulnerable populations across the globe. The book addresses climate science, disaster capitalism, youth activism, geoengineering, the original New Deal and the Green New Deal, all in an approachable way. It covers situations like Hurricanes Katrina and Maria, issues of fracking, indigenous people’s initiatives for change, and it even discusses health disparities and other lessons related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Klein and Stefoff make clear the need for taking action against climate change now, and provide some actionable steps to walk our students through activism, advocacy, building awareness, green art opportunities, legal tools, and building their own tool kit on how to engage in climate justice and hopefully inspire conviction, passion, and ultimately, action.

If you will be in Honors English I, Honors English II, AP English III, or AP English IV, you have additional summer reading for your English class. See our Summer Reading LibGuide for details.

Please email any questions to our administrative team at viceprincipals@jesuitportland.org.

Summer Reading FAQ

How do I get the text?

Families are responsible for purchasing their own copies of the text during the summer. Students may choose a print version, digital version, or audio version.

Information about the text, along with links to online locations for paperback purchase, can be found here. It is also available in both digital and audio versions via Amazon and iBooks.

Local public libraries carry the text, but you may have to put a copy on hold. We recommend that you not wait until the last minute for this option.

Why do we have summer reading?

Is summer reading required?

Yes. We expect all Jesuit students to be responsible to complete assigned summer reading before school begins in August.

During the fall, we will discuss the text in classes, hold a school-wide events, and offer optional Flex Talks on major themes addressed in the book. Teachers may also choose to include graded elements in class, such as reflection papers or discussions, based on this text.