This week, we join schools nationwide in celebrating the power of reading and the written word. Reading opens doors to new worlds, sparks imagination, and fosters a lifelong love of learning. As Dr. Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Research shows that independent reading improves fluency, comprehension, and motivation. By encouraging students to choose books that interest them, we help build their confidence and stamina as readers.

I am honored to be a Guest Reader at several schools this week and look forward to sharing the joy of storytelling with our students.

Let’s make this week memorable by inspiring all readers, teachers and students alike, to explore, dream, and grow.

To close, here is a poem by Emily Dickinson that celebrates the transformative power of reading:

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll.
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

Thank you for your dedication to nurturing a vibrant culture of literacy.

With gratitude,

Assistant Superintendent Sylvia Esteves

When the president of Colorado WINS learned that the president of the United States might be targeting Denver next in his anti-immigration campaign of terror, she knew how she’d begin to mobilize. One simple thing Diane Byrne does is deck out her activists in matching T-shirts. Wearing union colors promotes team spirit and builds confidence, she says. The AFT Public Employees program and policy council, meeting in New York City Feb. 5-6, abounded with tips to help locals mobilize. PPC chair Gary Feist, president of North Dakota Public Employees, recommended finding members who can tell a personal story to draw media attention. With more media on the issue, he said, legislators will become more motivated to fix the problem.