***This article is written by Addison Looney, a participant in The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
“Literacy Night is an opportunity to help students and families develop a love of reading,” said Laura Evans, reading specialist at Wethersfield School.
The once annual event was put on pause for several years because of the pandemic. The fun-filled night returned on March 4 and provided families of elementary students the opportunity to listen and read new books together.
All students, teachers and parents were encouraged to wear their comfy pajamas to the event. In each of the classrooms the teacher had picked out a few of their favorite bedtime books to read. Every classroom had a theme that connected all the books being read in that classroom such as dinosaurs or friendship. After they finished a “read aloud” students could get a trinket that related to the books to add to the fun and excitement.
In the gym, students from grades fourth through sixth were able to participate in a “book tasting.” A book tasting is designed to help expose students to new and different genres of books to expand their love of reading.
At each table in the gym there was a different genre of books. The teacher in charge of that table chose their favorite books from that genre and placed them on the tables. Students visited each table for 10 minutes and read a book of their choosing.
About 70 students turned out for the literacy event.
“The value of having a family reading night is just to get our children and our parents to come listen to good stories from their teachers,” said Tonya Vincent, elementary teacher.
The purpose of this event is to celebrate reading and do something together with the school and families.
“To read for enjoyment is important and it’s important to us that the kids find that out,” said teacher Amy Bryan.
