Before we could search out anything and everything and order it with a mere click of a button, before we even grasped the concept of shopping, there was the Scholastic monthly book order.
If you went to public school in the last few decades, you’re probably familiar with the concept: once a month, Scholastic delivers a few thin pages filled with new books and activities for kids to classrooms across the country.
And in February, first-graders all over the United States will see 7-year-old Smith Valley School student Joelie Mitchell smiling back at them, celebrated as the Star Reader for the issue.
Scholastic chose to honor her after her teacher, Rose Berger, entered her students’ artwork in a general coloring contest. Mitchell’s coloring of the pig character didn’t win the contest, Berger said, but Scholastic saw something special in Mitchell’s swirls of color and gave her the title Star Reader instead, along with 10 new books.
Mitchell, who when asked about her age replied “Six. No! Seven,” said she was happy about the title, and prefers coloring inside the lines when she can. Her palette preferences are pink, purple, and blue, and she knows that pickles – her favorite food – come from her other favorite food, cucumbers.
She’s also an avid, choosy reader, selecting literary works that complement her skillset, which is beyond the average first-grade level, and she enjoys the company of her black-and-white cat.
“I like to read hard books,” Mitchell said. “Books like from fourth grade.”
When asked what her favorite activities at school are, Mitchell was candid about her choices: “I like to read and do work.” Recess and gym were not in the top three choices, which Berger said is the great part about teaching first graders.
“They love school and they’re excited about learning,” Berger said.
In her 35 years of teaching, Berger said she has never seen a student win a Scholastic contest, and she’s thrilled to see Kalispell and Montana represented on the major publication.
Mitchell’s peers have been quite supportive so far, though the concept of “all over the country” is still something Berger is working on with them, but they know their classmate has made it big.
“The other first-graders think it went all over the world,” Berger said. “They’re pretty excited for her.”