Rose basketball highlights
Issue 1
September 27th, 2019
Reading Buddies gives Rose students opportunity to lead
THURS. | 03-11-21 | NEWS
SAT. | 10-10-20 | NEWS
Junior Chase Anderson, along with the help of science teacher Angie Byrne, recently came up with the idea to begin a program called Reading Buddies. Through this program, National Honor Society (NHS) members are given the opportunity to read to younger students at local elementary schools.
“The NHS came up with the great idea to try and reach out to local elementary schools and read to them, but because of COVID, we developed a system to where we Zoom into classrooms at local elementary schools and read books and talk with the kids,” Anderson said.
NHS currently has four different students reading to the students of Pactolus Elementary per week, although any NHS member is allowed to get involved and volunteer to read. Reading times are Tuesday and Thursday mornings and afternoons.
“I did my reading in the morning, and it was so great to start the day off on such a high note by reading to the students,” junior Blythe Bacon said. “It is also great for the elementary kids because they do not have a lot of guest speakers this year, so to have a high student read to them makes them feel very special.”
By being a part of Reading Buddies, members feel they have
Graphic by Murphy Fisher
been given the opportunity to make a difference in the community.
“It is a great program and is a very cool experience going out and connecting with the kids,” Anderson said. “They truly look up to the high school students and if we can connect with them, maybe we make an impact in their lives through Reading Buddies.”
Through Reading Buddies, the children gain virtual connections at a time when many are disconnected because of the pandemic. However, the elementary students are not the only ones benefiting from this program.
“It felt so fulfilling to be able to read to the elementary students,” Bacon said. “They were great listeners and the commentary they shared afterwards so sweet and funny.”
The elementary students are being given the opportunity to gain knowledge about important topics through Reading Buddies, the reading topics being focused on change monthly.
“They’re reading books about Black History Month right now,” senior Parker Woodall said.
Although Reading Buddies is currently only reading to classes of Pactolus Elementary, the program is open to reaching out further in the community.
“We would love to expand across Pitt County and if anyone has a connection to a local elementary school, please let us know,” Anderson said.
Through reading to the Pactolus Elementary students, NHS students who chose to participate in Reading Buddies feel they gain a sense of pride from making an impact on the community.
“I think that this is beneficial for the kids being read to and us because we’re helping these kids in their education and we also get to be a part of that,” Woodall said. “Students should participate because they’re directly helping their community by giving their time to help the kids at Pactolus Elementary.”
Although the Reading Buddies program began mid-pandemic, they have hopes of being able to meet the students they are reading to and work with them in-person once COVID-19 allows.
