Burgess-Peterson Academy welcomed more than 50 community leaders into its classrooms during Read Across America Week, according to a March 19 announcement. The event featured guest readers sharing stories with students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
The initiative aimed to inspire a love of reading among students and highlight the importance of community involvement in education. School officials said that having local leaders participate helps strengthen support for literacy and enriches the educational experience.
Among those who visited were Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson, who read “Be You!” by Peter H. Reynolds to Dustin Ecker’s fifth-grade math class. Other notable guests included Atlanta Board of Education Vice Chair Ken Zeff and Georgia State Senator Sonya Halpern.
Organizers said the presence of these leaders brought excitement to the classrooms and encouraged students to engage with books and storytelling. The school hosted a photo slideshow documenting the week’s activities, showcasing interactions between students and their guest readers.
Read Across America Week is celebrated nationwide as an opportunity for schools to promote literacy and connect children with role models from their communities.
