‘Read Across America’ held at local schools to celebrate the importance of reading

NIPOMO, Calif. -- Several Central Coast schools held "Read Across America" events on Thursday, the annual national celebration of reading.

Coordinated by the National Education Association (NEA), Read Across America is held year each on March 2.

The goal is to help motivate children to read and celebrate the diversity in their community and country.

One of the many local schools that took part on Thursday was Nipomo Elementary School.

"It's just wonderful to promote a joy and love for reading for our students," said Nipomo principal Julia Bowles. "You listen to a book, it can take you to other places, and I think hearing books read by other people gives kids a different perspective than they wouldn't get on an everyday basis."

All throughout the day, various volunteers from outside the school read books to each of the classes on campus, from kindergarten to 6th grade.

"It's great too for all the adults who come to be guest readers because they're not typically people that are with students every day, so they get to see kids and that's awesome," said Bowles. "It is a real treat. I think just seeing the kids faces and just being with the youth, it's an exhilarating experience for everybody."

It marked the eighth straight year the school held Read Across America for its students.

Bowles, who is in her eighth and final year at Nipomo before her retirement, is proud to have held the event each year she's been principal at the school.

"We really want the kids to have a love for reading," said Bowles. "When they can see that books can carry them to other places and get a real story or a message out of a book, that's a wonderful experience."

To learn more about the Read Across America and its national program, click here.

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