Turning the Page: Read Across America ‘Books’ Its Way Into Every Heart

Through every page turn in the storybook, the face of each child beamed with excitement as characters were brought to life. It was a moment to imagine, to be creative and to be young. 

Read Across America was launched in 1998 by the National Education Association (NEA), and it is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. 

Every year in the month of March, Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS) staff members participate in this much-loved tradition, reading popular books such as Harry Potter or Frozen to elementary school children. This has motivated children to read and make all of them feel valued and welcome. 

YNHHS has partnered with United Way of Greater New Haven since 2015, and volunteers read to every classroom at the Barack H. Obama Magnet University School. The school opened in spring 2020 on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University and houses 400 pre-K through fourth-grade students. 

In addition, the school has four Spanish-speaking classrooms and two special education, sensory self-contained classrooms for children with autism. With YNHHS’ diverse employee background, several staff members fluent in Spanish read books in that language to connect with students on a more personable level. In addition, staff trained on working with children with special needs read to those classrooms.

In past years, YNHHS has also donated hundreds of children’s books to the school to motivate children to read and to bring the joys of reading to students of all ages. 

Reading can be a complex endeavor. It is crucial to build children’s literacy skills, but it is often forgotten that developing their will to read and write is just as vital. According to the National Education Association, children who are highly motivated often read more, have larger vocabularies, and make achievement gains beyond their less motivated classmates. 

For younger readers, curiosity, engagement and relevancy of book choices impact children’s level of curiosity about words and concepts, engagement with text and topics, and belief in themselves as readers, writers and learners. 

Yearly initiatives such as Read Across America, which includes read alouds, are all tools to build children’s engagement with text. YNHHS volunteers who have participated have demonstrated the importance of being interactive, allowing children to react and ask questions.

In a world where literacy opens doors to opportunity, Read Across America stands as a vital reminder that fostering a love for reading in our children today will shape a brighter, more informed tomorrow.