Margarita Ramirez Loya, Cochise College publications writer, reads “Little Blue and Little Yellow” by Leo Lionni to Mrs. Fimbres’s third-grade class at Faras Elementary.

Margarita Ramirez Loya, Cochise College publications writer, reads “Little Blue and Little Yellow” by Leo Lionni to Mrs. Fimbres’s third-grade class at Faras Elementary.

The clock in Mrs. Fimbres’s third-grade classroom at Faras Elementary marked 1:30 p.m. as restless little hands cleaned their desktops and many pairs of eyes turned repeatedly toward the door to check if their guest would arrive.

A similar situation was taking place in kindergarten to fifth-grade classrooms as teachers and students welcomed guests as part of the annual Community Reads program scheduled from January 20-28 throughout the Douglas Unified School District.

Principals, administrators, teachers, retired teachers, librarians, students, parents, employees, and even the Cochise College soccer team, arrived at their assigned schools and read stories to enthusiastic listeners. Some brought their favorite books to share. Others chose material from the classroom library. Whatever the case, creativity was unlimited. One reader used watercolors to explain the story line. Dave Pettes, an instructor at Cochise College and a veteran volunteer, had his Dr. Seuss book ready before he was even invited to participate. He always does.

Cochise College, through its Community Reads contact Marguerite Conners, recruited 10 employees plus the entire soccer team this year. The enthusiasm of the readers was contagious; everyone wanted to make their participation special. For Conners, “Reading must be a pleasurable meaning-making activity. Reading must be fun.”

And it was a fun experience for every child. Some classrooms experienced some extra excitement as the soccer team took a couple of hours from their studies and practices to visit Faras Elementary in Pirtleville and read to children. The athletic role models turned into reading role models, and the children loved it.

For Joan Reichel, one of the main organizers of the event and a member of the Cochise Area Reading Council and Douglas High School librarian, the goal of the Community Reads program is to provide students with a variety of reading role models and a positive experience with children’s literature in the classroom setting. Her personal goal is to get more members of the community involved every year.

“Reading is essential to the community,” Reichel said. “We all read to gain knowledge to apply in our lives or to open the door to new understandings about the world and ourselves. Every year this event keeps getting better. It is like reading. The more you read, the better you get at it.”