Chapman has gained a new club. The book club, led by Media Specialist Shaina Ray, meets once a month in the media center and is looking for new members. The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 21.

Ray said she started the club because she believes reading helps students connect with others.

“I found that when students talk about what they are reading with other students and adults, it creates this level of excitement to share what shocked them or made them laugh,” she said. “It’s just a great bonding experience for us.”

Media center assistant Diana Brown said the meetings combine reading with fun and community.

“During our meetings, we get together, we have snacks, coffee and games,” she said. “We meet with our specific group of kids who read the same book, and we’ll talk.”

Ray said her goal is to build a stronger culture of reading at Chapman.

“The overall purpose of the book club is to create a culture of reading in the school,” she said. “I find that students no longer enjoy reading. My goal is to help them see that they can still enjoy it, and reading benefits everybody because it raises test scores in all subjects. The more you read, the more you know.”

Teachers have also joined in to support the club.

Yearbook adviser Alex Hollis said he believes it’s important for teachers to model that reading can be enjoyable.

“I think it’s a great opportunity because reading by choice and for pleasure is a hobby that people often get looked down on for,” he said. “Teachers modeling that reading can be a form of enjoyment — and not a nerdy thing — can help students. As a teenager, liking something not everyone likes is harder than it is for an adult.”

Freshman Sarah Grace Davis said she enjoys the club because it makes reading more engaging.

“I love Book Club because I like reading books, and getting someone else to pick them out is fun,” she said. “I also like talking about the books.”

Hollis said the club gives teachers and students a new way to connect.

“I think it’s neat anytime teachers can connect with students outside the classroom environment,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed reading my entire life, and the book club gives me a way to take something I love and connect with students who enjoy it, too.”