On Wednesday, October 8th, members of National English Honors Society (NEHS), hosted a reading event for elementary school students, offering them an introduction to the world of books through many interactive activities. Children had access to bookmark building, coloring, pajama making, and were able to listen to a good book with a volunteer. Sitting on fuzzy blankets, the volunteers were equipped with a book and ready to read to students. The students were given cookies and milk during the event as well! This event aimed to develop children’s interest in books, and to be a memorable experience for them.
NEHS member Dhivyasree Manimaran, a junior at PHS, talked about her experience as a volunteer at the event. She mentions that her role was to “read books to kids”, and explains how she felt about it. “It was really fun! I got to meet some people’s younger siblings, and interact with the kids, “she said. “They were super cute, and they told really funny stories”. Her favorite part of the event was being able to “make new connections with younger students. I feel like I was able to help them develop that same spark for reading that I had when I was younger”. She explained how “sitting on the blankets and reading made it feel like a real pajama night”. Manimaran explained that when reading to the children she thought about her younger self and her love for books. “It felt nostalgic”, she said.
Another junior at PHS, Taylor Stokes, reminisced on the event. “For me pajama buddies was like getting to be a mentor for the younger generation”, Stokes claimed. “It was nice to talk to them and build a connection”. She then noted her feelings about encroaching “so close to the end of our childhood”. “It was so nostalgic to be reminded as to what it was like when we were that young”.
Alongside the multiple new Junior members, Senior Ankreesha Bajpayi notes that “reading buddies was super successful in bonding with the kids in a short amount of time.” Bajpayi said that “It was nice to see the shy ones approach you by themselves”, and after watching the “hyper ones”, she reflected that they “were a bit hard to control but their enthusiasm for reading was adorable”. She ended the conversation by stating that she “would definitely be down to be a part of any future events similar to this instance!”
Overall, this event was a success. Between the vast number of books brought in by volunteers, cookies and milk shared with attendants, and attentive children listening to stories, this event was a perfect example of the importance of fostering literacy to a younger generation!
