Read Across America has been a beloved tradition for so many schools across the country, including and especially RCSA, since its inception in 1998. The National Education Association started Read Across America Day as a way to emphasize the importance of reading. Like every year, the first week of March marked this year’s Read Across America celebration, but it has actually transformed into a year-long observance, because it is important to promote literacy every single day!

For RCSA students, celebrating means dressing up and having the opportunity to listen to guests read their favorite books to them. The hardships we have gone through this school year did not stop us from doing exactly that, although it did look slightly different this year. Several guest readers (including Congressman John Rutherford, from all the way in Washington, D.C.!) were able to join us in-person and over Zoom and read to classrooms full of excited kids! Students had so much fun and really appreciated these familiar faces taking the time to celebrate with them.

President Joe Biden himself took the time to recognize and appreciate Read Across America Day 2021, saying, “The key to developing young learners into engaged, active, and innovative thinkers is instilling in them a love of reading at an early age.”

“Cultivate Compassion” is the NEA’s Read Across America topic for the month of March, and there are books for students of each age range to check out and enjoy! Click here for more information, and to stay updated on the different topics each month!