Michigan Second Grade Charter School Student Publishes Children's Book Reflecting on Experience Learning Amid COVID-19

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Nov 11, 2020, 09:39 ET

YPSILANTI, Mich., Nov. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Writing from the heart and sharing what he knows, one Michigan second grader reflected on his experience learning amid a global pandemic and shared the journey in his first-ever published book.

David Smith, published author and second-grade student at East Arbor Charter Academy, kicked off National Young Readers Week (NYRW) by reading his book "Going to School is Fun, Staying Home is Too!" in a socially distanced book-launch assembly.

David's book shares the story about how children around the world were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. His first-hand account explores the unexpected adventure of learning to learn at home and having fun while doing it.

"During this pandemic, it has been amazing to see the great things that have come out of such a challenging time," said Tanesha Newby, principal at East Arbor. "David writing this book is at the top of my list. I am so proud of him for using this as a platform to support other students his age."

The book reading took place in the school's gymnasium where Smith read to his second-grade class, all of whom also received a paperback copy of the book to read and follow along.

"We are honored to participate in NYRW and proud to host one of our own young authors," said Newby. "We always love to share the joy of reading with our students. Celebrating this week helps us emphasize how reading is infused in all subject areas and all facets of life."

Newby encourages her students to look beyond traditional books to help develop a life-long love for reading. "New vocabulary can be found on cereal boxes, comic books, and while riding in the car," she said. "We encourage our students to read whatever is in front of them because learning is not limited to words in a book."

Young readers across the globe can also enjoy David's paperback book or E-Book, which is available for purchase at www.dds3thekid.com.

NYRW, which takes place annually during the second week of November, aims to raise awareness around the importance of reading.

About East Arbor Charter Academy:
East Arbor Charter Academy, managed by National Heritage Academies, is a free, public charter school serving students in kindergarten through eighth-grade in the Ypsilanti area. For more information, visit eastarbor.nhaschools.com.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies