Turning the page to Reading Week – Never visit a place you haven’t been

 

More than 143 students at O’Kelly School were all ears after CFB Shilo Base Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Jack Nguyen turned a page to I Love to Read Week with his opening message of “Never visit a place you haven’t been” on Feb. 24 in the school auditorium.

 

During I Love to Read week, guest readers visit the classroom and share their favourite books and stories with the pupils. Also, during school hours, there are dress-up days and take-home activities, with Parent Council organizing a muffin-and-fruit breakfast on the last day.

 

Before his kick-off reading of “Not Quite Narwhal,” the Base Commander explained that long ago he learned ‘never go somewhere for the first time’ and how the significance of reading the experiences and stories of others helped prepare him for situations and places, so he was not unfamiliar with them when he finally got there.

 

He told the participants his current reads are ‘Circe,” a historical fiction novel based on Greek mythology about the goddess and her self-discovery.  As well, he is reading Marcus Aurelius, who ruled over an empire.

 

“He taught us in his writings how to respond to things and how to take care of people. I always find quotes in his writing to help me be a better person, a good parent and a good base commander.”

He said this is also Chief of Defence Staff Colonel Jennie Carrignon’s favourite book.

 

I Love to Read Week has been celebrated at O’Kelly School for more than 15 years, and it enables students to see that reading is significant, grade 2/3  and reading recovery teacher Sharon Fisher said.

 

“The benefits of this week are that the students see that reading is a necessary and important part of every job and career. We also want them to learn to enjoy reading and to become lifelong readers.”