Jornada Elementary School has officially opened the doors to its new Reading Café, a cozy and welcoming space where community volunteers are invited to listen and read with students and help foster a lifelong love of reading.
Principal Colette Martinez says the idea for the Reading Café was born from Jornada’s ongoing partnership with the Children’s Reading Alliance, whose volunteers have long supported reading development among students.
Previously, reading mostly took place in hallways or outside during recess. Now, thanks to the support of school staff and community partners, students and volunteers have a dedicated environment designed specifically to celebrate the joy of reading.
“You’re always stronger as a team,” said Principal Martinez. “Here at Team Jornada, we like to make connections with other people, so we connected with the Children’s Reading Alliance and asked them for human capital, if they had the ability to help us gather some volunteers who could come in during lunchtime or during the day to read with children and listen to children read.”
The café, converted from a former classroom, is now a vibrant reading sanctuary. Soft seating, cozy reading nooks, and even a whimsical teepee invite students to lose themselves in the magic of a good book. The space is stocked with books donated by staff, volunteers, local authors, and partners who all have a role in the Jornada family.
Beyond literacy support, the Reading Café is integrated into a broader effort to improve student well-being. Jornada works closely with the district’s Attendance for Success program and social workers to help students who have multiple tardies or are hesitant to attend school.
Jornada is also working with district social workers to provide emotional support and engagement to students using assisted interventions and therapy dogs. According to Laurel Arriza, a licensed master social worker with the Attendance for Success program, the presence of therapy dogs provided through assisted interventions also offers emotional support, helping to reduce anxiety and boost students’ confidence.
Principal Martinez says having furry friends to read to also helps students feel excited to come to school. Students also participate in “Reading Buddies,” a peer mentorship program where 5th graders read with 2nd graders, building leadership and literacy skills for both age groups.
The Reading Café is now open every morning and aims to expand during recess periods. To grow the program, Jornada Elementary is actively seeking volunteers who are passionate about books and making a difference in a child’s life. To learn more or volunteer, please contact Jornada Elementary School directly.
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