North Carolina Reading Association
53rd Annual North Carolina Reading Conference
The 53rd North Carolina Reading Association Conference will take place from March 17-19, 2024, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC.
VISION
We envision a world in which literacy is a basic and essential human right with ample opportunities and support provided to all individuals to become readers and writers.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to develop and support local councils and their members in providing literacy initiatives and advocacy in their communities and throughout the state.
President's Message
Welcome to Wonderland!
For the 2023-2024 year, we will be focusing on finding the wonder in reading, particularly through the magic of storytelling and imagination. As I reflected on the seminal work of Rudine Sims Bishop, who has helped us see books as “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors” to understand ourselves and others better, I immediately thought of Alice falling “Through the Looking Glass” into a world unlike her own. I am drawn to the fun and whimsy of these stories, and the idea that we can find the joy all around us, making each day a celebration. I hope that our work together this year will help us do just that, sparking joy and delight in classrooms all across our state as we work together to find and share the wonder of reading.
This year the theme for our Young Author project is : “Reflections: Celebrating the Me I See”. Through this theme, it is my hope and wish that our authors and illustrators will celebrate their unique talents, gifts, abilities, and qualities, and develop an appreciation for what makes them special and unique. As you and your students write, you may find connections within your own family, and ways you are similar to a special relative, or connections within your friendships, and the things that draw you together. I look forward to reading entries about all of the ways we are each wonderfully unique and extraordinary, and I am very excited to see the accompanying artwork as well! (As both a bibliophile and Disney fan, this theme speaks to me, and I hope you will find the fun and celebration in it as well!)
Our Conference theme is: “Through the Looking Glass: A Literacy Wonderland”. We are thrilled to gather together again this year to share the joy in literacy and to find ways to have fun while creating a lasting impact on student learning. We are excited to have NC authors and speakers joining us once again, as well as a few surprises up our sleeves! Our conference will be March 17-19, 2024 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC.
There are several ways that you can support NCRA this year. First, you should JOIN your local chapter. Local councils are the hands and feet of our larger organization, doing the work of creating Little Free Libraries, lobby libraries in doctors’ offices, birthday literacy bags for foster children, and more. It is a wonderful way to make a difference in your community! Another way that you can support NCRA is by recognizing leaders in your life through our Leadership Appreciation Fund. This fund is a way for you to honor any and all leaders in your family, community, schools, churches, state and the nation. The funds raised will help pay for published authors to present at the annual NC Reading Conference and provide funding for our annual Young Authors celebrations. I am so thankful to walk this path with you all this year, and I look forward to serving as your partner in literacy.
With joy and wonder,
Emily Golightly
NCRA President
