By William H. Kelly III
(JACKSON, Miss.) — Jackson State University (JSU), in partnership with the Jackson Public School (JPS) District, celebrated Read Across America Week on March 4 with “celebrity reader” JSU Interim President Denise Jones Gregory, Ph.D. The chemist and educator spoke with more than 40 Shirley Elementary first graders about the power of wind, science and physics with the help of Vicki Cobb’s children’s book, “I Face the Wind.”
“Reading helps scholars build confidence, curiosity and a stronger sense of what is possible for their future,” said Gregory. “It was a joy to spend time with each Shirley Elementary and Lottie W. Thornton Early Childhood Center student and help connect literacy, science and discovery in a way that was engaging and memorable.”
The Shirley Elementary auditorium filled with sounds of laughter and curiosity as scholars eagerly participated in hands-on activities, experiments and demonstrations using plastic bags, rubber balls, balloons and more to learn how air, wind and everyday objects interact.
As part of Read Across America Week, schools throughout JPS invited celebrity readers and led programming centered around literacy and career readiness, in an effort to show students that knowing how to read effectively is a fundamental part of success.
“In our strategic plan, we have what is called a strong start. We believe in our students having a strong start and matriculating on to graduation and then furthering their education at institutions like Jackson State University,” said Dionne Jones Woody, elementary assistant superintendent of Jackson Public Schools. “This is one of many partnerships and collaborations with Jackson State University that are set in place to build the next generation of leaders and innovators.”
Elana Tate, principal of Shirley Elementary School, said college readiness is a core aspect of advancing JPS scholars. She added that the collaboration was the perfect way to ease students into spring break.
“One of the things our district strongly promotes is graduation. We start in the early grades talking about college so that we can ensure our students know at an early age to go to college and pursue a career,” said Tate. “To have the president of Jackson State University, which is a popular university in our city, come out was exciting for the kids. You could see the beams on their faces as she got involved and engaged with them, and she captivated not only their attention but also that of the staff and the teachers. It was a wonderful collaboration of building the community we have across the Jackson Metro area.”
As the event closed, Gregory joined Shirley Elementary scholars and staff to proudly raise blue and white pom-poms to the sound of the Sonic Boom of the South’s famous rendition of “Get Ready.” She gifted the future Tigers with JSU paraphernalia, including shirts and wristbands.
Later in the week, on Friday, March 6, Gregory also visited preschoolers in JSU’s Lottie W. Thornton Early Childhood Center, located in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD).
During the visit, Gregory read “If I Were a Tiger” by Caroline Coleman, inviting students to help identify objects in the story and encouraging them to embrace their inner Tiger with an interactive classroom activity.
“Moments like these are extremely beneficial for our young scholars because they’re learning the importance of reading as well as academics and where it can take you in life,” said Juanita Johnson, director of the Lottie W. Thornton Early Childhood Center. “It was a heartfelt experience that will stick with them forever, and to see our interim president, who is also an alum and educator, made it even more wonderful.”
Each scholar walked away with a copy of “If I Were a Tiger” and a special Jackson State wristband to ensure they continue to walk with Tiger pride, courtesy of the Lottie Thornton Center and the Office of the President.
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