Holyoke students participated in a wide range of “Read Across America” activities in their classrooms this Month—including guest readers sharing some of their favorite storybooks with students and opportunities for students to choose some new favorites among titles available through Scholastic Book fairs in school hallways.
Students loved hearing stories read by their classroom guests—although perhaps their most favorite four-legged visitor couldn’t read a word to them: Sierra, an emotional support dog who was accompanied by her handler Robert Hoffman, chief deputy of the Civil Process Division of the Hampden County Sheriff's Department. “Sierra brings so much comfort and joy to all the students,” said Sheriff’s Department representative Cassandra Sarno.
Other favorite activities at E.N. White School were the impromptu “Drop Everything and Read (DEAR)” opportunities where students could independently immerse themselves in books for the sheer fun and joy of reading, said Assistant Principal Amy Piedra.
Launched in 1998 by the National Education Association (NEA) and guided by a committee of educators, NEA’s Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone. The titles and resources featured by NEA’s Read Across America include books that students can see themselves reflected in, as well as books that allow readers to see a world or a character that might be different from them.