The 2026 installment of the Mettawee Community School’s (MCS) annual All School Read offered students a window on the world.
“Each year our All School Read is built around a theme,” said MCS Interventionist Kimberly Donaldson. “This year our topic centers around the idea of global citizenship or how we are all connected and can take action to help others.”
On the morning of Wednesday, March 4th, all students at the school relaxed in their classrooms and set about reading the same book: A Year of Kites: Traditions Around the World, by Monisha Baja and Amber Ren. The children's picture book explores global kite-flying festivals, showcasing how kites symbolize community, tradition, and joy in different cultures.
To dig deeper into the story, Donaldson created a slide presentation using Google Earth to take the students on a virtual voyage around the globe. The production stopped at each of the 12 locations featured in the book ranging from Central America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the island nations of Japan and New Zealand.
“To connect the kids to the story, the presentation ends at the Mettawee Community School,” said Donaldson. “In the weeks ahead, our students will explore the basics of flight and learn how to build their own kites and join the community of young global citizens who lift spirits through paper flying machines.”
And that’s not all.
At the All School Read, Mettawee announced a joint initiative with Heifer International to raise funds to send a girl in poverty in another country to school. Heifer is a highly regarded non-profit organization established over 80 years ago focused on finding sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty around the world. To reach its goal of $275, the school will set up a “piggy bank” in the lobby for students, parents, and staff to contribute spare change. The results of the drive will be announced at the school’s Books and Beyond celebration at the end of the school year.
The morning of the All School Read is devoted to a single book, but the afternoon opens up: Students can read whatever book they want. On the floor, in corners, in comfy spaces, they read and read and read, with a healthy snack of crunchy chickpeas, donated by the Roadrunner Restaurant.
“I always love this day each year at Mettawee,” said school Principal Brooke DeBonis. “The quiet in the afternoon tells its own story as students and staff all just relax and enjoy the simple pleasure of reading a book.”
(Photo above: "I always love this day each year at Mettawee,” said school Principal, Brooke DeBonis. "The quiet in the afternoon tells its own story as students and staff all just relax and enjoy the simple pleasure of reading a book.”)
In the morning of the All School Read, Mettawee second grade teacher Ross Harmon reads “A Year of Kites” to his students who listen while drawing their own kite creations.
Mettawee students read their own book in the afternoon, while snacking of crunchy chick peas, donated by the Roadrunner Restaurant.
Even the prekindergarten class gets involved with a relaxing read at the Mettawee All School Read.
In the afternoon of the All-School read Mettawee students can read whatever book they want, on the floor, in corners, in comfy spaces, they read and read and read.