‘Celebration of Literacy’ includes premier of original song, book reading by author — and song writer
Ashland.news staff report
First-graders in Ashland will be treated to a reading extravaganza on Wednesday at Ashland High School.
The Rotary Club of Ashland and Rotary Club of Ashland Lithia Springs will host the ninth annual Ashland Reads “celebration of literacy” for about 170 first-grade students in the Ashland School District from about 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Ashland High School.
About 50 Rotarians, some outfitted in storybook costumes, are expected to help welcome students, with assistance from Ashland High students. First-graders from Walker, TRAILS Outdoor School, Willow Wind Community Learning Center, as well as Bellview and Helman elementary schools, plan to attend.
Once at the Mountain Avenue Theatre, students will be treated to a celebration of books, hosted by Rotarians, with support from Rotoract, a college-level Rotarian group, and Interact students, a high school-level Rotarian club.
“The looks on their faces when they come to the high school and they walk through this big balloon arch that we create for them, we’re cheering them on,” said Kristin McKean, chair of Rotary of Ashland, said in a phone interview with Ashland.news on Tuesday. “They’re extremely excited for this event and I think they feel really celebrated and they’re just on the brink of being fluent readers.”
Every year, organizers seek out a different local author who has written a children’s book and have them come on stage to read it aloud to students.
The program this year will include music by Tish McFadden of the Rum Tum School of Music, who has written a special song, “Inside a Book,” for the event. In addition, McFadden will do a reading of her book “The Song of the Redwing,” published in 2020.
Following the program, book bags will be distributed to the first-grade students with their favorite book inside, personalized just for them, as well as special gifts donated by community partners.
Earlier this school year, five high quality picture books were selected for Ashland Reads. Over the winter, teachers read the books to their students, and each student was asked to pick their favorite book.
What the children did not know was that they would be receiving that favorite book
at the event in a specially designed book bag, along with other surprises, according to organizers.
The event culminates in a barbecue provided by the school district and prepared by employees of Ashland Fire & Rescue and the Ashland Police Department.
In the event of rain, lunch will be served in the AHS cafeteria.
Ashland Reads is funded through a partnership between two local Rotary clubs: the
Rotary Club of Ashland and the Rotary Club of Ashland Lithia Springs, with
additional support from a Rotary District 5110 grant.
Book bags are provided by Friends of the Ashland Public Library, and Tree House Books provided a discount to purchase the books.
“I just think it’s a really sweet celebration that they hold onto for years to come,” McKean, the Rotary chair, said.
All second and third grade students in the district will also receive two to three summer
reading books as a part of this project, totaling between 1,600 and 1,800 books. Those books will be distributed to students by their teachers before the school year ends in June.
“I think that also is just kind of a nice way to send them into the summer, with books in-hand,” McKean said.
Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at hollyd@ashland.news.
Related story: Are you ready for some reading? Ashland first graders were (May 4, 2023)
