Students Read, Believe Achieve at Neuqua Valley

The halls of Neuqua Valley's Gold Campus recently were filled with the voices of Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, August Wilson and others.

Hundreds of Neuqua Valley students wrapped up Black History Month by participating in the National African-American Read-In 2010, a celebration of the poetry, prose and lyrics of African-American writers.

Throughout the day, students took turns stepping up to the microphone to share the work of a black writer who influenced them in some way. This year's theme was "Read, Believe, Achieve!"

"Not only are we letting students express themselves and share important works with their peers, but we're also opening a door to encourage students to read some of the many great works published by African-American authors," said English department Chairwoman Karen Pierros. "This is our first year and it's been a great experience so we hope to continue the read-in every year."

Junior class President Mia Akers shared Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" with fellow students.

"I chose this piece because it is important to me and my family," Akers said. "It's so symbolic in the way it shows that no matter how down things may get or how bad things may seem, there is always hope."

Assistant Principal Maree Russavage popped into the readings several times during the day and was impressed with how students were drawn to the event.

"You can tell they took this very seriously and learned about these great works," Russavage said. "Some of their readings literally gave me chills."