March marks National Reading Month, and Holmes Elementary School is celebrating in more ways than one. The Laker Anchor sat down with Holmes librarian Torri Regiani to learn how Spring Lake Elementary Schools are encouraging students to embrace reading.
This year’s theme is “Be brave, be curious, be a reader.” To encourage both traditional and non-traditional reading, students receive a sheet filled with fun activities—such as reading to a neighbor or a stuffed animal—along with unconventional tasks like reading the directions to a board game. “It’s so that they realize reading is an integral part of everyday life. It’s not just about sitting down with a book in a quiet place,” Regiani explained.
Holmes kicked off March is Reading Month by inviting children’s book author Bruce Hale to inspire students and build excitement for the month ahead. Other activities include “Drop Everything and Read” time, themed dress-up days, and a reading challenge, with Whitecaps tickets as the grand prize. The goal is to create an engaging and lively reading culture that extends beyond March—into the school year and even summer.
Regiani believes that the most effective way for parents to foster a love of reading is by incorporating it into daily routines, such as turning on closed captions while watching movies. Additionally, children learn by example, so parents demonstrating their own enjoyment of reading plays a crucial role.
This is Regiani’s first year as the Holmes school librarian, though she previously worked as a teacher and substitute. Her passion for reading stems from a desire to foster lifelong readers. “I wanted to build excitement around reading and figure out where kids start losing interest. When they first learn to read, they’re thrilled, but over time, that excitement fades. They get busy with other activities, video games, phones… If we can hook them early, help them push through challenges, and keep them engaged, maybe they’ll become lifelong readers.”
