With every passing school year, more and more students insist that “nobody reads books anymore.” Summer reading lists are tossed in the garbage cans and teachers are throwing away their seemingly unrealistic expectations that any of their students might actually pick up a book.

“As a teacher and a mother, I have observed countless examples that prove to me, without a doubt, that reading doesn’t just produce better readers; it also makes better writers, better thinkers, and better overall humans,” explained 10th grade English Teacher, Mrs. Sally White.

Studies have proven countless times that students who read are typically more empathetic and understanding than those who do not. Academically, students who involve themselves in the world of literature are stronger writers and tend to acquire a larger vocabulary, due to being exposed to a much larger base of words.

“When evaluating a stack of essays, I can always tell who my readers are. Their papers are more coherent, more fluid, more creative, and more rich in content than the non-readers’ papers,” shared Mrs. White.

The idea that nobody reads books anymore has inspired Mrs. Sally White, theater and English teacher at Central High School, to promote a social media campaign to encourage those reluctant readers to pick up a book and see what reading can do for a person, both personally and academically.

The social media campaign will be held over several social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. Mrs. White has shared several candid photos with the Central Digest of students and faculty, alike, reading books. The social media campaign will consist of sharing these candid photos, along with the hashtag, #NobodyReadsBooks. Mrs. White hopes that reaching out to a platform that more young people are familiar with will encourage them to delve into a world they might not be as comfortable with, the world of reading.

“I want my reluctant student readers to see what I see, that people do still read, and that it is the single best thing they can all do to improve themselves academically and personally. Most importantly, I want to inspire them to read books!” exclaimed Mrs. White

The Central Digest social media pages will begin the promotion in the next few weeks, but students and teachers are encouraged to share their own social media posts with the hashtag connected to the photo!