IRMO, S.C. — Each year, National Read Across America Day is celebrated on March 2nd, the birthday of Dr. Seuss, but this year the organization is expanding their reach. The theme for 2021 is to create and celebrate a nation of diverse readers.
"Read Across America is really going through a transition period," said Erin Parker. "It used to be all about Dr. Seuss, but as we explore into Dr. Seuss's past, the National Education Association has really revamped it to celebrate diverse literature."
Parker is the Media Specialist at Irmo High School in Lexington-Richland School District Five. She believes it's important for students to be able to see themselves in the books they read.
"We're championing diversity," said Parker. "We're letting our students know there is a book for every single reader. Read Across America champions all of that access for students."
As an educator, access to her students was limited last year when the world seemed to shut down due to the pandemic, so Parker got creative.
"When we were sent home back in March 2020, I realized social media was the easiest way to reach our students," said Parker.
Parker knew it was important to meet her students where they were, so she created content using the social media app Tik-Tok to relate to her target audience.
"Children do have short attention span and they like to be entertained," she said. "I felt like Tik-Tok was the perfect avenue to reach, entertain, inform and find my students."
Parker creates videos to promote books she thinks her students would be interested in and she's even had a cameo from a local celebrity.
"I filmed a Tik-Tok on Election Day about a book called The Voting Booth," said Parker. "I ran into USC's Women's Basketball Coach Dawn Staley while filming and she hopped in on my video."
The videos have now been shared throughout the district to encourage all students to read.