Westside Elementary Inspires Young Readers with Local Authors

Westside Elementary School in Valdosta launched an engaging initiative this fall, titled “Take a Look, It’s in a Book,” aimed at fostering a love of reading among its students. The program connects children with local authors who share their creative journeys, stories, and illustrations, making literature more accessible and relatable.

Patrick Carlson, an illustrator and storyteller, kicked off the series by demonstrating how images can inspire entire narratives. During his interactive session, he encouraged students to challenge him with various prompts, leading to collaborative story development. This hands-on approach not only sparked creativity but also helped students envision themselves as both artists and writers.

The series continued with a visit from acclaimed children’s author Cat Gayle, renowned for her works such as “When a Monster Dreams” and “When a Monster Meditates.” Gayle shared how her children influenced her writing process, often collaborating with her on illustrations and storylines. Her reading of “When a Monster Meditates” turned into an engaging session where students and teachers participated in mindfulness activities. The exercises left everyone feeling refreshed and illustrated the dual power of storytelling: to ignite imagination while promoting well-being.

Emphasizing Creativity and Community Connections

The series concluded with Dawn Pryor-Coleman, a Tallahassee author who presented her book “The Adventurous Sunnie Roads: Volume One.” This story introduces young readers to diverse cultures through the eyes of a child, complemented by fun family activities. Students expressed enthusiasm for the creative exercises, making her visit a fitting conclusion to a month filled with literary inspiration.

Educators at Westside Elementary have already noticed the positive impact of these author visits on their students. Chablis Haynes, an interventionist at the school who helped organize the program, remarked, “The children are realizing that books can take them to a new world. They’re also learning that authors aren’t just faraway celebrities — they can be people right here in our own community.”

This initiative has successfully reaffirmed the enduring appeal of books, even in a technology-driven age. Haynes noted, “They enjoy the pictures, they enjoy the words on the page, and this series has reminded them of the joy of reading.”

Melanie Johnson, Principal of Westside Elementary, expressed gratitude for the authors’ contributions: “We are so grateful to have hosted authors Cat Gayle, Patrick Carlson, and Dawn Pryor-Coleman at Westside Elementary! Their visit brought the joy of reading to life for our students in such an inspiring way.” She emphasized the importance of these interactions in sparking imagination and nurturing a lifelong love of learning.

Students left the sessions inspired, contemplating their potential as future authors or illustrators. Second grader Brysen Wrye envisioned himself becoming an illustrator, while classmates Barrett Teeter and Zarah Arzayus expressed their desire to write stories. Zarah shared her ambition, stating, “If I wrote my own book, it would be about emotions and feeling good.”

Westside’s “Take a Look, It’s in a Book” series continues to motivate students to dream big, create, and discover the transformative power of stories, one page at a time.