Written by Daniela Thomas
APSU Communication Student
Clarksville, TN – This morning at F&M Bank Arena, the Kiwanis Club of Clarksville hosted a special event for over 3,300 third-grade students from the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS).
The event, held in partnership with CMCSS and the arena, celebrated literacy by giving each student a new book and making it possible for local students to listen to a best-selling author in Historic Downtown Clarksville.
Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden was also in attendance. He took the stage and addressed the students in anticipation of best-selling author Chris Grabenstein sharing stories about his childhood and career as a writer. Mayor Golden also thanked all the teachers for being there today.
Best-selling author Chris Grabenstein took the stage, sharing stories about his career and books. His lively presentation engaged the young audience, inspiring them to read and explore their imaginations.
Outside the arena, school buses lined up in neat rows. Inside, the students filled the space with loud excitement, eager for what was to come.
F&M Bank Arena Event Staff guided the long lines of students through the doors of the F&M Bank Arena. “I asked the students, ‘Who likes to read?’ and they all raised their hand, and then I said, ‘When you read, what happens?’ and they looked at me kind of puzzled. I said, when you read, it takes you on an adventure. And they were very happy with that,” Margarete Spainhoward said.
For 35 years, the Kiwanis Club has provided free books to local students. To date, the program has distributed approximately 120,000 high-quality books.
Anthony Johnson, chief communication officer at CMCSS, said, “We are so grateful to the Kiwanis Club and to the author, Mr. Grabenstein, for coming today to instill a spirit of joy and fun and reading; and so, we have about 3,300 of our third-grade students from across 25 elementary schools here today. We are really excited to learn more about the author, the book and the writing process.”
Jean Luna-Vedder, the director of schools for CMCSS, added: “This is an amazing event that’s been planned by our Kiwanis for our third-graders: all about reading and to get them excited about reading, get them a book and to hear from an author.”
Mr. James, a third-grade teacher from Glenellen Elementary School, said, “We’re here today for this reading event. I’m really excited about it. Kids are pretty excited about it, and we’re excited about the opportunity to use the book for future lesson planning.”
When the students returned to their classrooms, each received a copy of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, one of Grabenstein’s most popular books. This event highlights the community’s commitment to literacy. It ensures students not only receive books but also experience the joy of meeting an author in person.
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