The On the Same Page Book Club allows Hoover students to visit the elementary school within GUSD to read to various classes. The goal is to help children develop a love for reading and literature, addressing recent declines in their reading, writing, and vocabulary skills.
Narek Gyurjyan (25′) explains, “I believe it’s a joyous experience to read to the children; reading is good for your brain, and it expands your vocabulary.”
Natalia Khodaverdi (25′) founded this club as a freshman. When she noticed her passion and interest in reading were waning, she decided to start it. The goal is to establish a closer connection with kids and encourage a love of reading in future generations.
“Nothing makes me happier than being able to read stories to children and watch them light up with curiosity,” said Khodaverdi. You can read aloud to the students at several primary schools. Meeting new individuals and seeing old teachers is a lot of joy.
Being in the cabinet aids with organizational skills. Being a member is beneficial when learning to interact with people, particularly those of different ages. The cabinet chooses the days for one or two monthly readings based on the chaperones’ availability.
To find out which days they are available, they send advance emails to principals and their employees. OTSP has read to Balboa Elementary, Thomas Jefferson Elementary, Columbus Elementary, and Mark Keppel Elementary thus far.
The club looks forward to reading at Franklin Elementary, R.D. White Elementary, and Edison Elementary soon. Scheduling the reading is the most challenging part of the organization process because each class and teacher has varying schedules.
Motivating and recruiting members was also challenging. However, the club grew from ten members to sixty. Since Khodaverdi is a senior and will be graduating this coming Summer, she is optimistic about the club’s future. She expects it will continue under the new cabinet she appointed.
“I feel like kids don’t know how to read anymore; I want to help bring back that love,” said Nellie Daniel (25′).
Follow the HooverOtsp Instagram page for exciting updates and important information. The Google Classroom code for even more detailed insights is in the bio.
