Unlike some students at MHS, Abigail Lechy, sophomore, loves to read.
With this love of reading, Lechy also participates in many of the events that take place in the library, like author visits and being a part of the Libro club. The Libro club is a group of students who help make suggestions for the Library, plan displays, and suggest different themes for book clubs.
“The events are fun, and if not, you get free snacks out of it,” Lechy said. ”Usually they have useful information.”
Throughout the years, Brittany Sharitz, librarian, has seen many advantages people gain from reading.
“For me it is a huge destresser to read because it allows me to take a break from my own life and my reality,” Sharitz said.
Sharitz tries to engage students with reading by offering different activities and events. Many of the events happen during Ac Lab so students can sign up and attend easily.
For Valentine’s Day, the Library hosted a romance book club. Students suggested romance books they enjoy, and as a group, they chose which one they wanted to read.
“We don’t have any strict membership. Anyone can join a book club at any time. It’s ok if they’ve never attended in the past,” Sharitz said.
The librarians try to host one author visit per semester. Last semester Elaine Vickers, author of “Fadeaway”, came to MHS, and this semester Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Messenger, columnist for the St. Louis Post Dispatch, is coming Friday, March 8, to talk with junior and senior-level language arts classes.
To encourage reading over Winter Break, and maybe during Spring Break, the librarians helped put together Winter Reading Boxes. Students told them about some of their preferences and received a box with books, candy, and other prizes.
Working with a student advisory, which helps make big decisions and planning for the library, they figured out what extra goodies should go into the boxes, for the students to enjoy.
Like Sharitz, Jessica Brown, language arts teacher, has also seen students benefit from reading, whether it be reading for fun or school.
A way to get students open to reading is by listening to audiobooks, finding a series that students like, as well as understanding what motivates them, said Brown.
Reading allows students to improve their writing and comprehension skills, and it gives them an activity to do that doesn’t involve being on a screen.
“Reading for fun can be really good for your mental health while reading for school is critical thinking and understanding author text,” Brown said.
