A ‘perfectly perfect’ night for reading
With self-portraits of students from across the area lining the halls of Washington Middle School, hundreds of families poured into our 22nd annual Free Family Reading Night Friday, March 1, reflecting our self-portrait as a community that supports and loves reading. Not to brag, but the 2024 event was one for the record books. It was a book party and reading party and at times was also a dance party, a craft party, costume party and snack party.
“We know that reading is even more powerful when it’s interactive. Reading out loud with the addition of characters, crafts and props further engages the mind, greatly improving comprehension, focus, listening skills, vocabulary, and overall cognitive development. ”
We estimate that some 800 people filled the stands and spread out across the floor of WMS gym to hear children’s author Marc Colagiovanni and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds share a presentation on their inspiring picture book, “The Reflection in Me,” and its message of the importance of speaking kindly to yourself.
The party atmosphere was established early thanks to the DJ services of Casey Fisher, who by day serves as the director of technology for the School District of Washington. While families were taking their seats and waiting for the guest speakers to take the stage, Casey played lively songs that had young readers on their feet.
Washington Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Kephart led the crowd in the “Oath of Reading,” and our own Dawn Kitchell, chair of the Community Literacy Foundation and owner of Neighborhood Reads bookstore, introduced the guests of honor, who shared the story behind the book before Colagiovanni read it aloud, while Reynolds sketched a quick drawing in the background. Double the guest speakers meant double the enthusiasm and double the excitement.
After the presentation concluded, the fun was just beginning. Families had their choice of heading to the cafeteria to make book-related crafts hosted by school parent organizations or to one of 13 reading rooms where celebrity readers, like Washington firefighters, the Washington Fair Queen & Court, and Mayor Doug “Where’s Waldo” Hagedorn, shared stories. Barbie was set up in the gym reading stories; the Pigeon and Penelope Rex were in reading rooms where their stories were being told; Princess Leah and a couple other Star Wars characters were also on hand.
As always, the evening concluded with a skit by the Washington Police Department and dozens of book prizes awarded to children/families who entered their completed Family Reading Log into a drawing. As we do every year, we challenged families to read together for 15 minutes a day in the week leading up to Family Reading Night. Everyone who submitted a completed Family Reading Log was entered into a drawing to win one of the many book baskets donated by area organizations, businesses and individuals who support reading. Families who visited at least two reading rooms also could enter a drawing to win prizes.
This amazing event was free for everyone to attend because of the generous work and donations by the Community Literacy Foundation, the Washington Optimist Club, Washington Public Library and the Friends of the Washington Public Library, the School District of Washington, Neighborhood Reads, area school parent organizations, dozens of volunteers and many more.
If you weren’t able to attend our 2024 Family Reading Night, or even if you were and just want to relive it, we invite you to scroll through the amazing photos by Jeanne Miller Wood that captured all of the enthusiasm and excitement. And then mark your calendars for next year — Friday, March 7, 2025!