Triway’s Reading Under the Lights is May 8

The red door is where it all begins for Triway Local Schools Reading Under the Lights on Wednesday, May 8 at 5:30 p.m. in Triway Stadium.

The decorated door is meant to celebrate the featured book for the evening — “Behind The Little Red Door” by Coy Bowles. Each family who attends the event will receive a copy of the book, and each child will get to pick four other books to take home.

Reading Under the Lights is a free program presented by United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties, in partnership with the Wayne County Public Library. It celebrates literacy and encourages students in kindergarten through fifth grade to keep reading through the summer months.

Triway High School family and consumer sciences teacher Joyce Krebs has been lining up props for Reading Under the Lights. She has a frame for the red door to stabilize it so children can walk through it to the festivities on the turf.

“When they go through the door, that’s when their imagination takes off,” Krebs said.

Krebs also has been rounding up student volunteers to help with the event. Representatives from various student clubs and the Triway High School cheerleaders will read to the children during Reading Under the Lights.

Forming other reading circles will be retired teachers, first responders, therapy dogs and their owners, retired staff, elected officials, and community heroes.

Books for the guest readers are being provided by Hannah Bersee, manager of the Wayne County Shreve Branch Library. Bersee and library staff also will read to children.

Special visitors will include Tyrone the Titan mascot and costumed book characters Elephant and Piggy and Bell the Cow.

A free hot dog meal including an ice cream treat will be provided for families.

“The idea is to draw families together to share some good times over books,” said Cindy Staley, Wooster Township Elementary School Title I reading teacher.

Her Title I reading teacher co-worker Kristie Shoulders called Reading Under the Lights a unifying event spearheaded by United Way. The organization’s donations make it possible for the children to take home books representing a variety of different reading levels.

The hope is the books will inspire reading.

Liz Kinney, Title I reading teacher at Shreve Elementary School, said it’s important for students to practice their reading skills through the summer so they get off to a good start when school begins again in the fall.

Families at Reading Under the Lights also will be given information to sign up for the Wayne County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program.

It’s an evening, Staley said, “that is truly about loving the joy of books.”