The Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's Reading 2 Succeed program will host a Community Veterans Event on Tuesday, November 12 from 5:30pm until 7:00pm at Partnership Middle School. Free books about veterans-related topics for all ages will be available, and the come-and-go event will honor and showcase local citizens who have served in the military.
The highlight of the event will be the opportunity for children and families to visit with local veterans from Starkville and Oktibbeha County to hear stories of their military service. Mayor Lynn Spruill, a United States Air Force veteran will be in attendance to share her experience as the first female to pass the pilot's carrier test. In addition, the event will honor the memory of Chris Taylor, highlighting his military service through various memorabilia. Members of Taylor's family will be available to answer questions and talk about his service to his country and our community. Fact sheets about other local veterans from Starkville and Oktibbeha County will also be available.
[UPDATE 11/12/24: Mayor Lynn Spruill will not be able to attend the event this evening.]
In addition to visiting with local veterans, the public is invited to browse stations containing books appropriate for all ages from preschool to adult. The books were selected and provided by Reading 2 Succeed and cover a range of topics related to the military and veterans. Attendees will be able to choose books to take home.
Leigh Ann Sallis, the Reading 2 Succeed staff member who organized the event says giving books to families is part of the mission of the grant-based program.
"The mission of Reading 2 Succeed is to promote literacy and put books into homes throughout Oktibbeha County," she said. "With all of our events, we hope the activities and seeing the books will spark an interest to learn more. For this event, we are giving away books focused on famous veterans, pioneers in their field, veterans who were athletes, and veterans who are parents."
Coming a day after the nation celebrates Veterans Day, SOCSD staff also hopes it will help children, families and other attendees get to know the veterans in our community better –– neighbors they may not realize have served in the military.
"Veterans rarely brag on themselves or their service for our country," said Leigh Ann Sallis, Reading 2 Succeed staff member and coordinator of the event. "I want to make sure we show appreciation to them and educate our community on the work of veterans. I hope the event will foster conversations between veterans and our community members."
Reading 2 Succeed is one of more than a dozen grant-based programs housed at the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's Discovery Center, a hub of services, adult education, workshops designed to help the district make connections between home, school and community. Reading 2 Succeed began in 2018 through a grant and continues its work to develop and improve literacy skills for children from birth to 12th grade.