After school offers Star Wars book club again

Hughson Elementary School After School Program staff wanted to encourage students to become lifelong readers, so they invented the Star Wars Book Club.

“We have a lot of really great new Star Wars books to help our students get into the habit of reading,” noted Gilbert Valenzuela, after school program leader. “We believe there is more to Star Wars besides movies, television, video games to keep them busy and this will instill a life long love of reading.”

The youth are free to bring their own Star Wars publications from home or the school library. Valenzuela said the classmates are discovering Jedi knights, rogue rebels, heroic allies and evil Sith lords while strengthening their reading skills.

“We're using Star Wars as a way to jump start the way the kids think about things in the real world and the choices they make,” he explained. “We talk about George Lucas, who grew up in the same area as them. We tell the students that Lucas shows us that anything can be done if you work hard and follow your dreams.”

Noting how hard the students work, Valenzuela wants to organize a special event for them. Plans call for 501^st Legion and Rebel Legion Endor Base Star Wars costume club members to visit the elementary kids and Valenzuela wants to get as many main characters as possible.

“I would really want to have C-3PO and R2 here,” he said. “I want the best looking people who represent those characters that they have been reading about to come to the event.”

The HES after school program organized a similar event last May. Valenzuela got help from Wes Page, Modesto Junior College instructor and 501^st Legion member. Lucas Films donated books, CDs and action figures, all of which were raffled off to students.

Aside from the two droids, other special characters will be called upon next spring. But these won’t come cheap because they have to travel from Southern California. Valenzuela said they’re willing to dress up for free but they’ll need gas money.

Valenzuela plans on scheduling the event earlier in the spring this time.

“Last year we kind of felt bad,” he stated. “Those guys were really hot in those suits.”

Anyone interested in helping the HES after school program financially with this fun and educational endeavor may call the school at 883-4412 or Valenzuela at 620-5960.