Richfield Elementary celebrates World Read Aloud Day

Published 7:44 am Sunday, February 3, 2019

Members of the Stanly County community came to Richfield Elementary School Friday morning to read to the students as part of World Read Aloud Day.

This is the second straight year Richfield has hosted the event.

Sixteen community members to read to classrooms full of excited students.

Hope Miller-Drye read “The Crayon Box that Talked” and “The Day The Crayons Quit” to Mrs. Smith’s third grade class.

“I like to laugh so my books were ones that would make the kids laugh as well,” Miller-Drye, administrative and board assistant at Stanly County Schools, said.

“Reading is the foundation of everything,” Miller-Drye added. “Seeing the children in their element is a reminder of how important the school system is.”

Hope Miller-Drye reads to Hailey Smith’s third grade class as part of World Read Aloud Day at Richfield Elementary School.

“As a school board member, I want the best possible education that we can give these students,” added Vicky Watson, who lives in Richfield and was once a first-grade teacher’s assistant at Richfield Elementary.

“Reading is something that we want everybody to enjoy,” said principal Julienne Fallen, “and oftentimes reading is something that we have to do in class so we try and bring the joy back in and this is an excellent way to bring joy into reading.”

She added it is also important for “our community members to learn our school and for our school to learn our community members.”

“Reading is the most important skill you’ll ever have,” said Elliot Brooks, who has a daughter in first grade at Richfield.

“But as we get older we sometimes lose that joy,” added Brooks, who is lead administrator of media and instructional technology for SCS.

The students loved listening to the community members read to them.

“I’ve been at this school a while,” said fifth-grader Aubrey Burrage, “and it’s cool to see these people come in and read to us.”

She enjoys reading a lot and says it’s good for “speech and learning.”

“I enjoyed it [Read Aloud Day] because the book we read inspired me and told me we are all wonders even if we are different,” said fifth-grader Amelia Barney. The book her class read was fittingly called “We’re All Wonders.”

“Reading sparks creativity in the mind and helps develop understanding,” Barney added.

Read Aloud Day has been around for 10 years and is celebrated in more than 173 countries.

“As a teacher, this event helps us get children excited about reading,” said second-grade teacher Donna Drye. “They hear us read to them all the time and we tell them how important reading can be to them throughout their lives. When they see other adults reading to them with enjoyment and enthusiasm, it reinforces this belief.”

The event was organized by the Parent Community Outreach committee at the school.

“People are inspired by the happiness and excitement of children,” said Lori Roach, chairwoman of the committee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Chris Miller

Chris Miller has been with the SNAP since January 2019. He is a graduate of NC State and received his Master's in Journalism from the University of Maryland. He previously wrote for the Capital News Service in Annapolis, where many of his stories on immigration and culture were published in national papers via the AP wire.

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