Dist. 33 teachers, students read together over summer break
Reading in the shade of a tree can be a simple, relaxing summer activity.
It also can be an easy way to positively impact the lives of hundreds of students when school is not in session.
West Chicago Elementary District 33 teachers organized more than a dozen Read Under the Trees events this summer, giving kids multiple opportunities in June, July and August to meet with their teachers, listen to them read books aloud and then select a shiny new book to take home.
The program was started after Anne E. Barrett, one of the first members of the District 33 Foundation for Educational Excellence, passed away in 2006. A fund was set up in her honor, with an initial donation from her family, to start something special through the foundation that would help students.
"I threw out the idea that we have a lot of kids who do not have reading material at home, in English or Spanish, and wouldn't it be great if we could use the money to give books away?" said longtime Turner Elementary teacher Mel Dixon, who also serves on the foundation.
Barrett's husband thought that was a great plan and has provided funding since, despite living in Australia, where he and Barrett resided following their time in West Chicago.
Dixon said the students get really excited about seeing teachers in jeans and T-shirts, along with other recognizable faces from the school, like the lunch lady, janitor and principal.
They meet at some of the district's schools, the police station, the library and apartment complexes that are home to a large number of students.
"They get to see all of us in the summer, a little more relaxed, and they literally read under the trees," Dixon said. "They'll read a book, maybe two, and some poems and then the kids are welcome to select a book. It's really cute to see their faces."
The attendance at each event varies, but on average Dixon said between 50 to 80 kids show up. Any child in the community is welcome to attend, even if it's a child in town visiting a West Chicago family. Everyone is guaranteed to go home with at least one book.
"We want everybody to feel good about reading," she said. "If we want kids to be proficient readers, they need books."