Godwin Heights — “What do you think is going to happen?” asked Stacey Melville as she and her son, fifth-grader Jaxs, looked over the cover of an “I Survived,” book in a series by Lauren Tarshis.
After studying the cover’s giant tidal wave, Jaxs answered, “It’s gonna flood.”
The Melvilles sat in the shade outside West Godwin Elementary School, waiting for guest readers to kick off the school’s Fall Family Night, featuring Storytime in the Park.
Supported through Title I funds, students and families had ice cream while visiting four stations featuring guest readers: Superintendent Chad Conklin, State Rep. John Fitzgerald, KDL Wyoming librarian Jackie Boss, and alum and former West Godwin teacher Lynn Bradford. Young readers also could choose a book to take home.
“This is really awesome,” said Stacey Melville, adding that they are a family of readers. “It’s nice to see that reading and writing are such an integral part of their school, and that the staff is actively present and engaged in reading with the students.”
Said instructional specialist Kelly Compher, “It was a great opportunity to bring families together with a focus on reading.”
Sponsored by Grand Valley State University and typically held at Grand Rapids’ Garfield Park, Storytime in the Park is a summer reading program that features guest readers and gives students the opportunity to receive free books.
Read more from Godwin Heights:
• Young authors shines as library publishes classroom books
• Second-graders learn about communities by doing
