Whether it’s sitting down in a dark theater for nearly three hours watching spectacles of computer-generated graphics go to war with each other or laying down on the couch watching a five-minute video on a phone of someone eating and reviewing a cheeseburger from McDonald’s, the kinds of media that kids consume today often has a few things in common.

They provide some instant, easy-to-access entertainment, but are bereft of much lasting impact on the minds taking them in.

With more and more kids reaching for a smartphone to kill a lazy afternoon, promoting appreciation of books in schools should be a growing priority for our nation’s educators.

With that in mind, we appreciate the Lewis Cass ISD’s efforts in promoting literacy with their annual Young Writer’s Day, which took place last week at Southwestern Michigan College.

Every year, students from Dowagiac, Cassopolis and Edwardsburg elementary schools are invited to create their own books for the event. Those who participate get the chance to meet adults who either write or illustrate the books that line the bookshelves of their school libraries.

We feel that this event is a great way to inspire kids’ creativity and passion for writing. By encouraging kids to get involved in the process of taking an original idea from their imagination, putting into words on paper and refining it to the point where it can be bound, printed and shared with the wider world, it gives them an appreciation of the work that authors pour into their works.

It also empowers them to know that, with only a pen, paper and a lot of patience and dedication, they too can create something that can by enjoyed by everyone.

In an era where federal and state mandates are prioritizing standardized test scoring and other quantifiable metrics as the barometer of a student’s success, it is heartening to see a program give kids a chance to express themselves creatively. While the world will continue to need engineers, scientists, and mathematicians, it wouldn’t hurt to see a few more writers join them as well.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.