Bogue Chitto Attendance Center’s library has become one of the most popular spots on campus.

The accelerated reading theme,  “Readers, Start Your Engines,” has gained the interest of students, especially with the last color run event.

School librarian Kim Nelson said she sets the stakes higher each nine-week quarter for her students, from first to sixth grade, to participate in the next event. Over 170 students responded by achieving their reading goals. Accelerated Reader by Renaissance Learning is a software for schools for monitoring reading.

The event set a new record for Nelson, who’s only been back home in Bogue Chitto for two years.

“I had kids who were not athletic who worked hard to be a part of this. A lot of them had never been a part of it,” Nelson said. “I doubled the number they had to get last year each quarter, and they really responded well to the incentives.”

Nelson said she’s enjoyed implementing new ideas in the accelerated readers program. After 14 years of teaching, she’s discovered how to figure out what kids want. The Amazing Race event, another eward of Nelson’s, was a success last quarter as well.

“I was always the kind of teacher who wanted to get away from school, and that allowed me to be different, let my hair down and have fun with them,” Nelson said. “I was just fortunate that the things were kind of new and they liked it.”

Nelson said she’s already planning for next school year’s list of events. She wants to make sure she stays in budget, while making sure the students enjoy free fun activities.

“We raised an enormous amount of money this year. I want to do a road trip theme [next school] year and introduce them to some historic places in Vicksburg, Natchez and McComb,” she said. “I really appreciate our community’s support of the reading program at school and parents volunteering to help.”