Following a Proclamation from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declaring the month of March as Reading Month in Michigan, Lakeview educator Margaret Lincoln organized supporting events involving 19th Dist. State Sen. Dr. John Bizon, (R-Battle Creek) and 62nd Dist. State Rep. Jim Haadsma, (D-Battle Creek.)

“In past years, schools nationwide celebrated March is Reading Month as a way to instill in students a love of lifelong reading and, subsequently,” said Lincoln, “learning and inquiry.” Guests were typically invited to enter the school buildings to read aloud to students. 

“At the present time, though,” she said, “Lakeview's safe return-to-learning guidelines do not allow for visitors.”

For 2021, said Lincoln, virtual, pre-recorded readings were definitely the answer due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

At Lakeview High School (LHS), Haadsma read a selection from former First Lady Michelle Obama’s memoir, “Becoming.”

His reading, accessible via YouTube, was the basis for a mini lesson about online “Annotation and Close Reading of Text.”

The mini lesson was delivered to all LHS students during a weekly homeroom session focusing on social and emotional learning with help from Student Success Advocate Haley A-bel. 

LHS students, inspired by Haadsma’s reading, reflected on this quote from Becoming: "Even when it's not pretty or perfect. Even when it's more real than you want it to be. Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own." 

Students then replied to this prompt: "I'm creating my own story. During Trimester 3, I plan to …” “A number of very thoughtful and genuine responses were received,” said Lincoln.

Some included: “I plan to graduate as the first person in my family to do so and continue my education into college and become the first person in my family to attend and hopefully graduate from college. I plan to become a family physician and volunteer as a physician in my home country.”; “I'm trying to create my own business and my own legacy in lacrosse. I want to be the best defensive man in Lakeview history and I think if I put my mind to it this season I can do just that. I think with the hard work and dedication I've put in I can do so.”; “I plan to go with the flow instead of planning my life ahead of time. I want to stop stressing about my future and live in the presence. I want to stop caring about opinions of others and their values. Instead, I want to do things that make me happy. I am going to explore the world and find out who I am and what I like.”

According to Lincoln, an equally exciting March is Reading Month activity took place at the Lakeview Middle School (LMS) 7/8 Academy when Bizon read passages from It’s Our World, Too! Young People Who Are Making a Difference by Phillip Hoose. The recording is also available through YouTube, said Lincoln.

“The Senator pointed out that It’s Our World, Too! was a non-fiction book,” said Lincoln, “in other words, true stories about students like LMS youngsters - children and teens of both sexes from a variety of ethnic backgrounds who had the courage to act on their convictions.”

For example, she said, there was 12-year-old Norvell Smith, who stood up to gang pressure at her inner-city school and Justin Lebo, who at age 10 began using his allowance to buy and rebuild junker bicycles, and then give them away to needy children.

“At LMS, Senator Bizon’s reading was similarly included in a mini lesson for the school’s Social and Emotional Learning curriculum emphasizing Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies under the direction of Behavior Interventionist Alycia Williams-Marshall,” according to Lincoln.

The 7/8 Academy, she added, is committed to the “Spartan Way,” which highlights responsibility, respect, honesty, safety and caring. 

During the month of March, the focus has been on caring and compassion.

“It's Our World Too, was selected because the book gave examples of how young people have exhibited caring and compassion for others and have worked to make a difference in the lives of those that have experienced hardships in some form,” said Lincoln. “These are the examples that we would like our students to follow.”