San Angelo ISD partnered with dozens of local organizations across the Concho Valley for two exciting days of celebrating literacy during the district’s 5th Annual San Angelo READS! Day events on December 4 and 5.

The festivities kicked off on Wednesday, December 4, with a proclamation from City of San Angelo Mayor Brenda Gunter, who officially declared the day San Angelo READS! Day. Now in its fifth year, San Angelo READS! is a district-wide initiative designed to foster a love of reading and emphasize the critical role literacy plays in ensuring young students’ success. The initiative is driven by compelling research that highlights the importance of early literacy in opening doors to future opportunities.

A key highlight of the day was a generous donation from H-E-B, which gifted every third-grade student in SAISD a copy of the book “The Bad Guys” by Aaron Blabey. Throughout the day, schools across the district celebrated literacy with fun, book-themed events, special campus dress-up days, and visits from guest readers who read aloud to students.

San Angelo READS! North Pole Pop-Up Event

The celebration continued on December 5 with the annual San Angelo READS! North Pole Pop-Up event at San Angelo Stadium. Several hundred children and their families attended the festive, holiday-themed event, which featured more than 50 community partners and SAISD departments. These groups provided an array of holiday-themed activities, including games, crafts, face painting, giveaways and mascot appearances.

“This year’s READS! North Pole Pop-Up was a tremendous success,” said Sun Cha, SAISD’s Director of Community Relations. “We had an overwhelming response from our community partners and SAISD departments. The variety of activities was amazing, and the turnout was fantastic.”

At the pop-up, thousands of books were distributed, and families had the chance to meet special guests like Whataguy, H-E-Buddy, Clifford the Big Red Dog, the Grinch and even Santa. The event was a true example of community collaboration, with families coming together to celebrate both literacy and the festive spirit of the season.

“It was truly heartwarming to see families enjoying the activities, creating lasting memories, and spending quality time together,” said Ms. Cha. “From the excitement of the children to the smiles on parents' faces, it was clear that everyone had a wonderful time.” 

Community Support & Gratitude

“This event wouldn't have been such a tremendous success without the unwavering support of our incredible community partners,” said Ms. Cha. “Their generosity and dedication helped create a joyful, festive environment that highlighted the importance of literacy and brought our community closer together. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the businesses, organizations and district departments who made this event possible.” 

For more information on how San Angelo ISD continues to promote literacy and inspire a love of reading, visit saisd.org and follow the district on Instagram, Facebook and X. Be sure to share your own reading moments with the hashtags #SanAngeloREADS and #SAISDReads.

Keep reading, San Angelo!