Community heroes to join Washington students for literacy event

Feb. 15—MANKATO — Several community heroes will join students and families at Washington Elementary School Thursday evening for its Family Reading Night literacy event.

Mankato Mayor Najwa Massad, local police officers and firefighters and principal Ann Haggerty will all take turns reading books to guests.

It's the school's first time since the pandemic they've been able to have an in-person reading event.

The event will also feature different themed reading activities, and every student who attends will get a book to take home.

Haggerty said the event is important because it helps teach the importance of reading at an early age.

"There's almost nothing more important that an elementary school does than promote literacy and all the pieces of that," she said. "The more a kid reads, the better they're going to be. The more they're excited about reading, the more they're going to read."

The event will take place from 5:30-7 p.m.

The event is open to all Washington Elementary students and their families. Pizza will be served to guests as well.

Haggerty said other schools in the district could hold other curriculum themed events in the future.