Students at Hughson Elementary School are about to go camping without ever leaving their classrooms as part of Read Across America week. At Fox Road Elementary School, fourth- and fifth-graders will pretend they are in the comfort of their own bedrooms with their favorite book

Read Across America is a nationwide event coordinated by the National Education Association. It includes suggested books appropriate for students at various grade levels as well as ideas for other activities to promote reading.

Many schools – like Fox Road -- will organize fun, reading-related events Thursday, but Hughson Elementary will do its thing Wednesday.

The theme at HES will be “Camp Out with a Good Book.” Guest readers from the school district and the greater community will come to school to read with students in their classrooms.

Visitors will check into the “campground” (the school office) and then rustle up some grub at the “chuckwagon” (the library) while previewing their books before heading to their assigned “campsites” (the classrooms) to read around pretend campfires to their “campers” (the students).

The books the guests will read will be donated to the HES school library at the completion of the event. Students will receive camping-themed bookmarks they can color and keep for themselves. Each classroom will have a reader, including both sessions of preschool.

“We encourage students to read all year long,” said Kori Messer, Hughson Elementary’s reading intervention specialist. “This event reinforces that everyone reads. We want students to not only realize the importance of reading, but to love reading as well.”

As part of its year-round focus on reading, Messer said HES also has an AR (Accelerated Reader) board in one of its hallways to promote this year’s theme of "The S'more You Read, the S'more You Know!" At the end of each week, Messer and the staff identify the top three AR quiz passers in each grade level. Those students get their names on a s'more and a sticker to recognize their efforts.

“This is the second year we have done this and students seem to enjoy the recognition as well as increasing their frequency of reading,” Messer said.

At Fox Road, the theme Thursday will be “Snuggling Up With a Good Book.” All students will be encouraged to come to school dressed in their pajamas and bring their favorite blanket and stuffed animal to read with. All students will receive pencils, stickers and bookmarks as part of Read Across America, and there will be a schoolwide rally in the morning.

In addition, there will be a month-long contest to decorate bookmarks. The winners will be printed and distributed to all students.