A Streetsboro family is turning pages and igniting a love of reading at Henry Defer Intermediate School (HDI) this spring, with a little help from the Streetsboro Fire Department.
Angela Novotny, a school aide at HDI, and her husband Brian, a Streetsboro firefighter, created the “Readers are Leaders” program to encourage students to pick up books more often and discover the adventures that reading can bring.
The program lasts throughout the month of March. Students in grades three, four, and five will receive a reading log to track any time they spend reading outside of school each week throughout the month. Both time spent reading individually or with a parent/guardian counts toward their reading totals. By tracking time spent reading, rather than the number of completed books, the program is designed to be inclusive, ensuring every student has an equal shot at winning regardless of their reading level.
Each week, students will tally their hours, have an adult sign off, and turn in their logs to their ELA teachers. A leaderboard outside the library will allow students to track their standing throughout the month and add a bit of friendly competition to the mix.
One winner per grade level will be selected based on total reading time. In the case of a tie, names will go into a hat for a blind draw. The prize is a ride to school on a Streetsboro fire truck, complete with the lights and sirens.
“For Brian, it is the idea of utilizing the fire truck as an incentive,” said Angela. “He felt once the children saw how fun reading could be, they would want to continue reading after the program was completed.”
To build excitement, Brian and fellow firefighters visited school lunches on Feb. 26 to introduce the program and give students a preview of the grand prize.
Response from teachers and staff has been enthusiastic, and the Novotny family hopes the program will eventually expand beyond HDI to include Streetsboro Elementary School.
Angela hopes reading will keep students “discovering new adventures, places and ideas that a phone or TV can't give them."
“Readers are Leaders” is exactly the kind of community-driven initiative the Streetsboro City School District values, and the district is grateful for the Novotny family’s dedication to both students and the community.