BY KARISSA MILLER

Statesville Mayor Doug Hendrix and an array of civic and community leaders this week spent time this week reading to N.B. Mills Elementary School students as part of the school’s Read Across America Week celebration.

“Reading is a life skill. I came out to encourage the children to love reading,” said Hendrix, who met and read to the entire fourth grade and some of the fifth-graders.

One of the most memorable books that he read was “The Wonkey Donkey.”

“I was walking down the road and I saw … a donkey, Hee Haw! And he only had three legs! He was a wonkey donkey,” Hendrix read aloud.

Students laughed and were drawn into the story as they learned the other funny traits of the wonkey donkey.

Students Lori Leclaire and Serenity Joyner, who served as classroom leaders, welcomed Iredell-Statesville Schools Superintendent Jeff James into Joleeen Linney’s second-grade classroom for the reading event.

Before reading “The Most Magnificent Thing,” James asked, “How many of you have a pet?”

Many of the students responded with stories and comments about their pets.

The book is about a girl and her dog’s efforts to build “the most magnificent thing.” After failing many times, she takes a walk and returns with a fresh idea to finish her project.

“We love having so many guest readers in our school. We want everyone to know how great our kids are,” said Principal Sally Schultz.

Schultz said that the reading goal team did an excellent job coordinating Read Across America Week guest readers and events for the students and school.

Media Center Coordinator Caitlin Kelly said, “Students tend to read the same genres and same kind of books. We were purposeful in the books we selected so that we could expose them to new genres.”

Kelly said some of those genres were science/inquiry based, animal, superhero-based stories.

“With all the technology this day in age, reading is always a ‘no’ and not exciting. We have enjoyed seeing the kids excited about reading and like how this opens opportunities for them,” said Instructional Facilitator Lindsey Mehall.

To celebrate Read Across America Day and to encourage reading, the students had themed dress-up days all week.

“I like that we get to have dress-up days. I like picture, mystery and graphic novels,” said third-grader London.

The school staff dressed also dressed up as superheroes to highlight reading as a super power.

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