Photo provided to the Times Observer Older readers were paired with younger readers during Read Across America events at Tidioute Community Charter School.

The Read Across America initiative brings together millions of students from across the country each year to celebrate the joys of reading.

For the first time, that included 59 students and six staff at Tidioute Community Charter School last week.

According to the National Educational Association which coordinates the event, Read Across America aims to make children “feel valued and welcomed by celebrating diverse readers and books.”

The centerpiece of the event is a reading extravaganza on or around March 2.

It’s estimated that 45 million people participate each year in Read Across America.

“TCCS had a bus week celebrating Read Across America,” Sara Robinson, school librarian said.

“Our spirit week involved Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) time with older students pairing to read to younger students,” she said. “In addition to the Spirit Week, students could participate in a Potato Book Character Contest, in which they decorated a potato like their favorite book character.

“This is our first year doing it so it was wonderful to have 59 students and 6 staff participate.”

The Read Across America initiative was started in 1998 and aimed to be the nation’s largest celebration of reading.

“This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone,” according to the NEA. “The titles and resources featured by NEA’s Read Across America include books that students can see themselves reflected in, as well as books that allow readers to see a world or a character that might be different than them.”