A toasty fire danced on the screen, soft music played in the background and a sea of popup tents covered the floor of Patrick M. Villano’s all-purpose room last Friday. This was the Read Across America kickoff event for students.

Lucas Benefiled calls Read Across America an educational event that brings people together. The fifth-grader really enjoyed this year’s theme “Let’s Read S’more”.

“I liked it because it reminded me of when my dad and I go camping with flashlights and we read,” Benefield said.

Students brought flashlights and blankets while staff members donated tents to make the camping experience seem realistic. Breanne DeCarlo, the fifth-grade reading teacher, had fun watching her students soak up the atmosphere.

“I enjoyed seeing students with their classmates and friends reading some new, great books given to them by the PTA,” she said. “Students were engaged in their reading. They were relaxed. They were really enjoying their time in the all-purpose room that day.”

The Emerson PTA bought each child a book to read in honor of the week. Titles included Dragon Masters: Rise of the Earth Dragon, Key Hunters: The Mysterious Moonstone, Rules, I Survived the Galveston Hurricane, Soar, The Hero Two Doors Down, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Front Desk, and Slacker. Parents and students chose a book based on the student’s reading level and interest.

DeCarlo gave a huge shout out to the school’s Reading Committee who organized the kickoff event and the following week of activities for students.