What’s Right With Our Schools: Read for the Record

More than 500 students at Burdell-HuntElementaryMagnet School join the day-long ‘Read for the Record.’

Bibb County Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones reads to several classes, along with other leaders and volunteers.

“This is an occasion where the community, where the school and where students have all come together to increase reading.”

Bibb County Fire Department’s Chief Marvin Riggins is also volunteering. Each class reads Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett.

He says the book helps students learn the value of giving back.

Students Jerrell Odoms and Ja’Nyla Holston listened to the story.

“It was a pretty good book,” says Odoms.

Holston added, “I like the part when Norman started singing.”

The program is about setting goals, together.

“We’re able to read fun stories…stories that students may not have heard about, and they’re able to engage and they see it’s more than just a teacher, the principal, it’s everybody who cares about them,” says Jones.

By leaders introducing students to books they may have never heard, it encourages kids to stay focused and take their reading skills with them wherever they go.

“It’s a good thing to read, because it can get you a bunch of places in life,” says Odom.

The United Way and BibbCountySchools partners to bring volunteers to 10 different schools for Jumpstart’s annual Read for the Record campaign.