Celebrating the Joy in Reading and Writing
Live Oak students, families, and staff got cozy with a good book and their comfy clothes during our 20th Drop Everything And Read Day as part of our week-long literary celebration, Book Fest.
Book lovers would be hard pressed to find anything better than a cozy spot and a compelling story. Live Oak students and faculty got to enjoy just that kind of experience recently when we held our Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) Day. Our classrooms became reading lounges and storytelling dens, while our community showed up in their favorite pajamas and comfy attire to simply savor a good book. Students pored over new titles from the pop-up bookstore that was operating in our gym, brought copies of their favorite books from home, or took turns sharing books from the classroom library.
One of Live Oak’s favorite traditions, DEAR Day is part of the week-long literary celebration, Book Fest. This year marked the 20th year of the event, one that invites parents and guardians to share in the experience, making it a memorable community celebration. Visiting authors and artists Marlon McKenney, Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, Chad Sell, Kayden Phoenix, and Mat Heagerty presented special talks with our students, giving art lessons, discussing their writing process, and overall inspiring Live Oak students with a first-hand look at where their own creative potential can take them. The weeklong festivities concluded with an engaging storytelling session from local master storyteller Tim Ereneta, who captivated our youngest learners.
Altogether, Book Fest and DEAR Day provided an opportunity for inclusive exploration of storytelling craft, while encouraging a lifelong love of learning through reading and creativity, as well as giving voice to the varied interests, curiosities, and experiences that will ultimately help our students effect change through their own skills and passions.
A big thank you to our volunteers who helped setup and take down, serve as a salespeople, created flyers, and filled so many helpful roles, especially Tria Cohn, Kathleen Doherty, Jen Jimenez-Cruz, and Sara Lai, who helped coordinate various events throughout the week. Of course, thank you to everyone who shopped at the pop-up bookstore and purchased books for our library and classrooms. We are already looking forward to next year’s Book Fest and DEAR Day!
Live Oak School welcomes and admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, citizenship status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and faith to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities of Live Oak School. Live Oak School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, citizenship status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and faith in administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions policies, Adjusted Tuition program, and athletic and other school-administered programs.