By Dr. Kodey S Hughes, Superintendent, Juab School District
Some of my favorite memories from my own school days center around books—the stories we read, the characters we met, and the activities our teachers created to bring those stories to life. This past week, I had the opportunity to experience some of that magic again, this time as a father, educator, and superintendent.
Earlier this year, Governor Spencer Cox and First Lady Abby Cox invited Utah schools and communities to participate in a statewide Read-A-Thon, setting aside time from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. to focus on literacy and the simple joy of reading. Once the invitation arrived, our principals, teachers, and staff began thinking about how to make that hour special for Juab students. And they certainly did.
As I traveled through our schools, I saw students curled up with books, pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals. More importantly, I saw smiles. Our students weren't simply completing a reading assignment. They were enjoying books. At Red Cliffs Elementary, one classroom had tents set up so students could crawl inside and find their own little reading spot. Mona Elementary had 4th-grade students buddy reading with 1st graders. At Nebo View Elementary, students lined the hallways with pillows and books. In our younger grades, teachers gathered students for read-alouds, introducing them to new characters, places, and adventures.
Our secondary students participated as well. Many brought a favorite novel, fantasy, or other book and were given something that can sometimes be difficult to find in a busy school day: quiet, uninterrupted time to simply read. I even stopped by a few of our local businesses that joined in on the fun. They may have needed a friendly reminder or two, but when the time came, they were all in! Seeing reading extend beyond our classrooms and into our community was another reminder that literacy isn't just a school initiative. It belongs to all of us.
As I walked through our schools today, I found myself thinking about how our relationship with reading changes as we get older. So often as adults, we read because we have to. We read emails, instructions, reports, schedules, and information needed to accomplish the next task. Somewhere along the way, it can become easy to forget that reading can also be an adventure. A book can make us laugh. It can take us somewhere we have never been. It can introduce us to people we may never meet, help us understand another person's experience, or simply let our imagination run wild for a little while. That is the magic of literacy.
As a school district, literacy continues to be one of our highest priorities, especially during the earliest years of a child's life. Learning to read opens the door to nearly everything else a student will learn. But I also hope we remember that our goal isn't simply to raise children who can read. We want to help raise children who want to read. That doesn't happen through schools alone. It happens when a parent reads a bedtime story. It happens when a grandparent sits with a child and listens patiently as they sound out a difficult word. It happens when a teacher introduces a student to the book that finally captures their imagination. And it happens when an entire community sends the message that reading matters.
Thank you to our teachers, administrators, and staff members who turned an hour of reading into something memorable. Thank you to our local businesses and community members who joined us. And thank you to our parents and grandparents who sent children to school with books, pajamas, stuffed animals, pillows, and, most importantly, excitement about reading.
Literacy truly is a key. It opens the doors to learning, imagination, opportunity, and a lifetime of discovery. After what I witnessed today, I can't wait until we do it again. Keep Reading, Juab!
#JuabProud
Kodey S. Hughes | Superintendent, Juab School District