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Pasco County Schools' Reading Under the Stars brings books and community to Gulf High
Summary
Gulf High School hosted Reading Under the Stars as part of Pasco County Schools' Literacy Week, offering free books, activities and community engagement to encourage reading at home and at school.
Gulf High School hosted Reading Under the Stars on a night during Pasco County Schools' Literacy Week, offering students, families and community members free books, games and activities intended to promote reading.
The event is intended to bring the community onto campus and support literacy from home to school. "Really and truly, this event is about bringing the community in," said Dr. Monica Iles, deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Pasco County Schools, describing the district's goal of fostering a love of reading and building skills that transfer to academic work.
Mr. Morgenstein, Gulf High principal, said the school and district view reading as foundational. "Literacy is the key to everything that we need to be successful in life," he said, adding that reading must happen in school and at home and that community involvement helps reinforce that message.
Students took part in activities across campus. Mackenzie, a Ritchie Elementary student, said her favorite parts were the ponies and the group reading. "Diary of the Wimpy Kid," she said, was her favorite book. Kaley, a Gulf High senior and member of the track team, described a booth where younger children ran laps and earned medals tied to books such as Run Run Gingerbread.
Organizers emphasized access to high-quality literature and family engagement. "This is a great chance to get in our community, to promote a love of reading, to get kids excited about literacy, to get books in hand," said a district representative during the segment. Attendees were described as numerous and enthusiastic, with organizers noting smiling faces and children holding books as evidence the event was reaching the local community.
No formal policy actions or budget decisions were recorded in the transcript excerpt; the segment focused on event activities and community outreach. Details such as the number of books distributed, funding sources for the event, and exact attendance figures were not specified in the transcript.
