Story Time with the Terriers is a program at CCHS run by Library Media Center Coordinator, Dawn Taylor, along with some select students. The program originated in the 2020-2021 school year, in response to the Covid lockdown as a way to keep the elementary students of our feeder schools engaged with reading. It was put on hold after a few years once students returned to full-time attendance.

This year, District 95, our largest feeder district, requested that we bring the program back as part of their Communities that Read Together; Rise Together initiative. As part of this program, high school students record themselves reading a children’s book. The videos are uploaded to the Storytime with the Terriers Youtube channel for the teachers to share with the students. The cast of Storytime with the Terriers will also be visiting the elementary schools and be paired with struggling readers to encourage them to want to become better readers, with bi-weekly reading check-ins through Zoom. 

 The students will begin going to the elementary schools to be with the students beginning in January, giving them the opportunity to build a deeper connection with them.

Students are chosen by Dawn Taylor, Library Media Center Coordinator at CCHS, Mazzy Miller and Zulia Lopez, Sophomores at CCHS who are the lead production assistants for the program.  They chose many different students involved in many different programs at CCHS. Many of the students chosen are underclassmen, since they will have a closer and more recent connection with the elementary students viewing the videos, but there are students from all grade levels.

“Our biggest thing was showing leadership, accountability, and just being respectful through the school… We [also] chose many students that have been very involved in school programs. I also think we chose students that have been involved in many school programs… [We] also chose students that are really passionate about reading to young readers and they find love for doing this, they aren’t just forced to… Heavily Freshman and Sophomores so that they can slowly grow into this role… and find those relationships with them,” said Lopez.

The students choose a children’s book of their liking, whether for a personal liking or for a deep connection, and practice reading the story before officially recording. Once the student is confident and prepared, they set up in front of the camera to record. Some students have gone above and beyond by dressing up to match a theme or character within their book. 

“We had each person in the program choose a book that they had a special connection to when they were little, and they read these books. Sometimes Mrs. Taylor has helped us with choosing these books, and sometimes students have brought their own books in,” said Miller.

All involved say that they are excited to see who is with them as the program takes off, and who will join them in the “expedition to grow these young readers’ minds and imaginations” (Lopez) as they continue to know and connect with them.