Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
From the pages of vibrant picture books to the exploration of historic themes, students across Guilford County Schools (GCS) discovered that “Reading Gives You Freedom” during the recent Read Across America celebration.
From March 9 to 13, community leaders and educators joined forces at elementary schools throughout the district to spark a lifelong passion for literacy and self-empowerment.
At Bessemer Elementary and Bluford STEM Academy, local Greensboro author Margo Ford shared a special reading of her book, “Mirrors Up.” Arranged by the Dolley Madison Woman’s Club, the sessions challenged students to look within and recognize their own “vibrance and potential.” Through the story, Ford emphasized core virtues such as love, intelligence, uniqueness, perseverance and achievement.
Across town at Vandalia Elementary, the celebration took on a high-stakes theme: “Reading Gives You Freedom to Think and Complete the Mission.” Throughout the week, readers visited classrooms from Kindergarten to fifth grade. Among the guests was Dr. Jasmine Getrouw, who read the inspiring story, “Beauty Woke” to a captivated group of third graders.
Dr. LaToy Kennedy, principal of Vandalia Elementary, explained that the school’s unique spin on the national event was designed to show students that reading is a tool for liberation.
“Our purpose is for our students to be motivated to read, but also to understand the power of books,” Dr. Kennedy said. “We want to empower them to never give up their freedom to read and learn about any topic they want.”
Launched in 1998 by the National Education Association (NEA), Read Across America remains the nation’s largest celebration of reading. In Guilford County, the event continues to serve as a vital bridge between the community and the classroom, proving that a single book can indeed expand a child’s horizons.
