By Lakota McRoberts with additional reporting by Allison Sayer – CRR Staff

The Copper River School District hosted Family Literacy Nights on November 8 in Glennallen and November 13 in Kenny Lake. The events were geared towards all local families with PreK through fifth grade children. We attended the event in Glennallen. 

Each Literacy Night event features a theme—recent ones included superheroes and camping—and brings families together for an evening of reading, games, and bonding activities. New this year, caregivers attend workshops to equip them with valuable insights into reading development. 

The events offer a warm, inclusive environment, complete with dinner, goody bags, free books for children, and sometimes even a surprise guest. For the fall superhero-themed night, a teacher dressed up as a superhero, and November’s camping theme featured a special visit from Smokey Bear. 

During the caregiver workshop hosted by Laura Scott, attendees received How Your Brain Learns to Read by Denise Eide, a book that demystifies the science of reading and helps parents support their children’s literacy journey. The book explains how young readers’ brains process letters and words, helping adults understand why learning to read can be challenging but rewarding. Meanwhile, children played under the supervision of CRNA and student volunteers, allowing caregivers to focus fully on the workshop.

After the workshop, families moved to the elementary gym, which was transformed into a whimsical “campground” complete with tents, glow lights, and student-created camping-themed artwork. Middle school student Eduel Spencer provided live music, creating a lively atmosphere as Laura Scott read a story to the children. Forestry staff, including guest speaker Smokey Bear, added a touch of adventure, and a photo booth with kayaks and camping props gave families a fun keepsake. Children received punch cards to track their activities and earn prizes. To cap it all off, one of the stations had the opportunity to make s’mores, bringing a sweet end to the camping theme.

Inspired by her 30 years of teaching, CRSD Superintendent Theresa Laville arrived in Glennallen with a vision: to ignite a love for reading among students and their families. Laville believes that strong reading and writing skills lay the foundation for academic success across all subjects. More than just educational, she sees literacy as a bridge to connect families through shared learning experiences. 

Laville tasked District Reading Interventionist Laura Scott and Migrant Education Coordinator Ashley Hicks with creating literacy nights. These events had been enjoyable in Laville’s prior experience, and typically consisted of activities such as reading aloud. Scott and Hicks ran with the concept, creating engaging evenings designed to bring families together through the joy of reading. 

Literacy Nights are funded through the Migrant Education Program, which helps ensure that migrant students meet academic standards. Family engagement is also a component of the Alaska Reads Act, a 2022 initiative signed by Governor Mike Dunleavy to mandate early literacy intervention for Alaskan children, especially those in grades K-3. Additionally, the Copper River Native Association (CRNA) contributes to the events with personnel to help with childcare during the parent workshops and supervise a literacy game.

The community of Glennallen has embraced Literacy Nights wholeheartedly. Over 80 people attended the recent Glennallen event, including over 40 children and 20 caregivers joined by a dedicated group of student and adult volunteers. The subsequent Kenny Lake event November 15 was attended by 47 people. 

At the Glennallen event, student volunteers included middle school students Preslyn Thompson and Eduel Spencer and high school students Cheyenne Fields, Alisha Woods, Connor Johnson, Peyton Roslansky, Jordin White, Simon McMahan, Isabella MacDonald, Ally Fields, Grace Rogers, Eduel Spencer, and Kayla Abbott. Several students have volunteered multiple times. Preslyn Thompson and Cheyenne Fields both shared that they have fun volunteering at the events. “I love literacy nights,” shared Thompson.

Community member Lidia Hill and student Silas Somers helped with preparation.

Also in Glennallen, community members Izzy Bergman and Mackenzie Dysinger contributed their time. CRSD teachers Gretchen Nelson and John Hale pitched in, Upstream Learning support staff Laurie Blair volunteered at the event and put in many hours helping to prepare, and Glennallen High School Principal Ben Dolgner circulated through the event. Art teacher Misty Rude helped with having students create the art for the décor. CRSD technology support specialist Jonathan Carty set up the caregiver presentation and the Zoom option. Glennallen aide Duane Nelson documented the event with photographs. Superintendent Theresa Laville greeted participants as they eagerly ran to the gym. 

The support extended to organizations such as Forestry, with Jenny Moser and Gregory Miller running a trivia table, CRNA, with Kiyana Abston and Aiden Fields helping with childcare and games, and Ahtna Kenaege’- Ahtna language learners and teachers. - who provided Ahtna language games, enriching the evening with cultural learning. Ahtna Kenaege’ volunteers included Jessica Denny, Sondra Shaganoff-Stuart, Felicia Ewan, Carol Cozzen, M. Starr Knighten, and Raedeen Neeley. 

“Support” was a term we heard often throughout our exploration of Literacy Nights. In a conversation prior to the Glennallen Literacy Night, Laura Scott described Theresa Laville’s support of her vision for the events, which gave her the confidence to put together these ambitious programs. In turn, she offered advice on how to support a child’s journey of learning to read. At the event, mother of three Leah Hoffmeister said the events made her "feel like you have a village to help raise your kids."  

The impact of the district’s renewed focus on reading, including Literacy Nights, on Glennallen’s students is already evident. Early data from 2024 to 2025 shows significant improvement in literacy scores across grades, with fewer students scoring below grade level in mClass reading assessments. 

For Laville and the Glennallen community, these events are about more than academics; they’re about cultivating a love for reading and creating cherished family memories. With each Literacy Night, students discover the excitement of stories, and families find new ways to bond. As Glennallen looks ahead to future Literacy Nights, the community eagerly anticipates new themes and experiences that will continue to inspire a lifelong love for learning.

Literacy Nights are a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together to support education, inspiring hope for a bright future for all generations in Glennallen. 

If you would like to volunteer at a future literacy event or volunteer to read to students, contact nstickney@crsd.us. The next Literacy Night will be in February 2025.