1/10/2024 - Marcy PARP Kick-off Assemblies Feature Local Author Alicia Klepeis

On January 10, Marcy Elementary School held its Pick a Reading Partner (PARP) kick-off assemblies with local author Alicia Klepeis as a special guest. Klepeis is from Hamilton, New York and she is the author of about 200 children’s books, which are mostly nonfiction.

The PARP program runs from January 10-26 and this year’s theme is Reading Colors Our World. The goal for the PARP program is for students to spend 15-20 minutes reading with a partner (parent, guardian, babysitter, sibling, cousin, friend, etc.) each day.

Many of Klepeis' books are about animals and countries, and she explained to students that the books are based on her travels around the world. 

“There are lots of ways to get great ideas for books,” Klepeis told students. She also explained that writers draw inspiration from personal interests, life experiences and their own imaginations, and she encouraged students to look around and discover the world around them.

Klepeis told students that good writers read a lot, keep a journal and have a natural curiosity about the world around them. She reminded students that writing a book is a process and they must be patient, as a book is never completed on the first try.

The grades K-2 and grades 3-5 assemblies each ended with a question and answer session between Klepeis and Marcy students. Her visit was hosted by the Marcy PTO and the PARP Committee with the goal of fostering a love of reading books in Marcy students.