ROME, GA— The West Central Elementary media center exuded all the charm of a cozy coffee shop on Monday, Sept. 12, as students participated in the grand opening of Starbooks Café, where books are the perfect blend.
The café was open to third through sixth grade students and the setup consisted of five reading nooks where students could acquire a taste for new exciting books. West Central students were invited to “sip, taste and read,” with the goal of indulging in new genres including realistic fiction, adventure, fantasy, mystery and humor.
“As a former literacy coach and now principal who loves reading, I am often disheartened when I hear students say, ‘I don't like to read,’” Principal Jennifer Uldrick said. “My typical response to that statement is, ‘you just haven't found the right type of book yet!’ A book tasting is a wonderful way to expose our students to genres that they haven't yet read in hopes that they just might find the perfect book to get them hooked on reading.”
Each table in the café was adorned with stacks of carefully selected grade (and reading) level appropriate books for each group of students, soft flameless tea light candles and Starbooks decor.
Green aproned baristas, Media Center Specialist Shelley Raley and Instructional Specialist Erin Hall, assisted the students in each nook. Café guests were provided with book tasting sheets where they made notes about newly introduced books, sampling literature and recording thoughts and information.
“Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Raley have done a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere where students can enjoy time spent with books,” Uldrick said. “The cookies provided by our partner, Trinity United Methodist Church, have certainly helped to make the event a favorite for our students so far. Many just can't wait to get to the media center in the coming days to check out one of the many new books they've discovered in there.”
Students talked softly within groups and read a few pages of their chosen book within each genre category, taking notes about the cover of the book, whether it was fiction or nonfiction and what they liked about the passages they read.
“I think it’s given the students an experience with books that they wouldn’t normally consider reading,” Raley said. She explained that the books are sorted by Lexile level which ensures that the students are given a range of books that are appropriate for their reading level so as not to give them something too easy or too difficult.
“Research tells us that the more we read, the better readers we become,” Uldrick affirmed. “It is our hope that students will begin to read more, which will help us get closer to our goal of having all students read on grade level by the third grade.”
Against the soft glow of the coziest café in Rome City Schools, a love of reading was encouraged, literary interests were expanded and young minds were broadened.
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