ST. LOUIS — Thousands came together to celebrate the success of Saint Louis Public Schools' students Saturday. For months, reading and writing has been the district's main focus and they rewarded students for their hard work.
Superintendent Dr. Keisha Scarlett said the 'Literacy for the Lou' Sneaker Ball event Saturday was the culmination of the reading initiative's first year kickoff.
"It's just an opportunity for the whole city to come together around a value proposition about why it's important to read and why literacy is so important," she said.
Dr. Scarlett described it as a 'celebration for everyone.'
"It's really a family and community celebration, the parents look just as excited as the children," she said.
'Literacy for the Lou' is the district's massive literacy initiative, which was launched in January. Now, five months later, they're celebrating the thousands of students who took part in the district's passport reading challenge.
According to Dr. Scarlett, students read 1,838 minutes or more and that goal was no random number.
"1838 was the year that Saint Louis Public Schools was founded," she said.
Saturday's celebration had everything from free face painting to haircuts to even a DJ. This achievement, according to Dr. Scarlett goes well beyond the classroom too.
"The professional community that was created between the adults, the educators and school leaders is what's really tremendous in this effort," she said.
'Literacy for the Lou' is an all-encompassing effort to increase and improve reading and writing for every child in St. Louis. It's something many parents voiced a need for, according to Dr. Scarlett.
"In the citywide plan for education, it was one of the areas where families really shared about how they really wanted their children reading at high levels, and this has also been a district goal for a long time," she said.
A goal that Dr. Scarlett said is already showing 'staggering' results.
"Children went from writing like one sentence and even nonsensical things to whole stories, and it's just absolutely fabulous, and we knew our children could do it, they just needed a little extra support," she said.
That's support, that according to Dr. Scarlett isn't going away any time soon.
"This is just the beginning," she said.
The reading doesn't stop now, even though school is out. The district is partnering with St. Louis Public Libraries this summer, so children can continue to log their reading.