President's Message

Greetings,

I am excited about the upcoming year, with deep gratitude and respect for the educators, students, leaders, and advocates who make up our community. At a time when the world feels both full of possibility and uncertainty, our shared commitment to literacy matters more than ever. Literacy is not only the ability to read and write—it is the capacity to make meaning, to think critically, to connect with others, and to participate fully in a complex and changing world. In its essence, literacy is an act of hope and power.

This year, we are guided by the theme Literacy for a Reimagined World: Innovation and Humanity. I created this theme because we are at a pivotal moment in our world. As innovation continues to reshape how we learn, communicate, and create, we are called to consider how these shifts can deepen, not diminish, our humanity. Together, let’s explore practices that honor both the enduring power of language and the generative artificial intelligence possibilities before us. Let’s design ways to engage our learners to be imaginative, curious, and caring. In every classroom, library, and community across North Carolina, literacy remains the thread that connects knowledge with empathy, and innovation with purpose.

I look forward to the year ahead with a strong sense of opportunity and possibility. NCRA will continue to support educators through professional learning, collaboration, and advocacy, while also inviting us to think expansively about what literacy can be and who it can serve.

Literacy is important. I believe that it helps illuminate not only what we know and do, but who we are becoming.

Let’s go!

Hiller A. Spires

NCRA President, 2026-2027