For Hailey McIntosh the collision of math and reading can create excitement, especially when the words are spoken out loud.

“I think it’s a rush of feeling to know that math and reading come together,” said Hailey, a fifth-grader at Poplar Springs Elementary school. Reading, she said, is a way of “persuading the mind to listen to it even more — and to understand it.”

Hailey, a student in Cassie Brent’s math class, had just finished listening to Hank Holcomb read from the book, “A Fraction’s Goal — Parts of a Whole.” Holcomb was among more than 160 visitors to read out loud to students for International Literacy Day at the Meridian Public School District, according to Matt Davis, public relations director for the district. Davis reported that more than 45 businesses participated, as well.

The school district and The Meridian Star collaborated to produce the event.

The stories touched a range of topics, such as fantasy, health…and math.

As Holcomb read the colorful book about fractions he sometimes paused to chat with the students about the way math enters his own work.

“You all wouldn’t realize how much in my business I use decimals and fractions,” he told the group. “Literally every single day I use them.”

For the students, the presence of a new adult in the room — in Brent’s class and in others — also touched a welcome chord.

“It feels great because we have a visitor on campus,” said fifth-grader Tyneice Burkes.

Bethany Garrett, the librarian at Poplar Springs Elementary School, also noted the importance of the visitor to students.

“It’s people that aren’t just the teachers, and aren’t just their parents reading to them,” she said. “It’s other people in the community showing them the importance of reading.”

Garrett described, too, the importance of reading to older students.

“It’s showing them that even though they’re older and they’re used to reading in their head, they can make it more entertaining if they read out loud and make it like a production,” she said. “It’s introducing them to the theatrical aspects of reading.”

If the whole phenomenon of adults entering the classroom realm to read makes an impression on students, it also leaves an imprint on the adults. Trooper Marcus Thames, with the Mississippi State Highway Patrol, said Friday was the first time he’d read to a group of students.

Thames didn’t take the assignment lightly, as he read to third-graders at West Hill Elementary School with deep expression.

“I used the tactic that they implement over at the Academy,” he said. “You keep your focus, and you make sure you’re listening.”

As with many story-readers on Friday, the interaction was two-way: Thames asked each child to say introduce himself or herself at the end of the session, and he clearly listened closely and enjoyed taking in the students’ names and interests.

“One of the main focuses is to show them that law enforcement (officers) are their friends,” he said after the reading, noting that when law enforcement officers are present, people often conclude it’s for negative reasons.

“I’m trying to show them a different character,” Thames said.

Holcomb also said that Friday’s session was the first time he’d read to children — but it was not the first time he’d been to Poplar Springs Elementary School.

“I went here,” he said, “so it’s kind of cool to be able to come back and help out.”

Holcomb seemed at ease with the students, and he described his discussion of math’s everyday importance as a kind of improvisation.

“It just kind of popped into my head,” he said. “I just came from work, and we were talking about it this morning…how we have to do math problems in our everyday lives.”

Alexander Gould, the publisher of The Meridian Star, said the school district and the newspaper were active in recruiting volunteers and in participating in the readings.

“If there’s any cause that we should be the biggest cheerleader for, literacy should be that cause,” he said. “We looked at some (ways) that we could do a community reading ourselves, but we realized it would have a lot more impact and would go a lot further if we were able to incorporate with the school district, and it seemed natural to start with the Meridian Public School District.”

Gould, who read to students at Poplar Springs Elementary School, underscored the excitement in the community about reading to the students.

“Today there were a dozen people waiting to get into the classroom all at the same time,” Gould said. “I think that’s powerful. I think it shows every kid, teacher and administrator in that building that the people on the outside of those walls actually care about what they do and support what they do.”

Amy Carter, the superintendent of the Meridian Public School District, said she was appreciative of the community’s support for the event. 

“Meridian Public School District is so thankful for the community leaders and business partners who took time from their busy schedules to share the gift of reading with our elementary students,” Carter said in a statement. “We want to especially thank the Meridian Star’s team and Alexander Gould and Matt Davis, MPSD PR Director, for championing this important focus. We all know stronger readers (learners) build stronger leaders and ultimately stronger communities.”