The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Students enjoy March is Reading Month
Activities range from visiting authors to guest readers to lunch trivia
By Sue G. Collins, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 15, 2007
More than 2,000 elementary school students in Saline this month are being challenged to drop everything and read — in and out of the classroom — during a variety of events created by teachers, media center staff and Parent-Teacher Association members to encourage literacy.
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Students at Harvest, Woodland Meadows and Houghton elementary schools were treated to visits from author Sarah Stewart and illustrator David Small, the award-winning husband-and-wife team from St. Joseph.
Fans of the "Mick Morris Myth Solvers" series at Pleasant Ridge Elementary School learned how to transform a stick figure into a swamp monster from energetic illustrator Darrin Brege and how to craft words into magical stories from his wife and author, Karen Bell-Brege.
Darrin Brege is also the illustrator for the popular Michigan and American Chillers series.
Students at Pleasant Ridge also participated in a Family Storytelling Night Tuesday with storyteller Debra Christian, and are keeping track of the minutes they spend with their noses in books as a part of a readathon to raise funds for the supplemental literacy program at the school. On Reading Festival Day, special guests will surprise students and teachers as they read their favorite books to kids as they rotate throughout the school.
The growing literacy library at Saline's newest school, Harvest Elementary, will benefit from funds raised by students who collect pledges for a month full of reading.
"Read Me Fridays," held throughout the month, gave kids the opportunity to wear clothing featuring words. In addition, Camp Read-a-lot at the media center featured tents and a pretend campfire to inspire kids to relax and read.
On March 26, the celebration, which has been dubbed "Soar into reading month," will culminate with a presentation on hot-air ballooning.
Woodland Meadows Elementary School Principal David Raft has been challenging his students during the lunch hour with reading trivia throughout the month, while community leaders and family members share their favorite stories to support a host of classroom activities.
Even kindergartners are jumping on board, said Houghton School Principal Jesse Stevenson.
"We celebrated the 50th birthday of the 'Cat in the Hat' and have had a number of mystery readers surprising the children," he said. "It's been a great way to help promote reading and teach them the importance of books."
Staff Writer Sue G. Collins can be reached at 429-7380.
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