How Maranatha Builds Strong Reading Foundations in the Early Years

Reading is an essential part of the student experience here at Maranatha, and our lower school Media Specialist, Stacy Huether, has been in charge of creating strong reading foundations in students’ early years. Joining Maranatha in 2014, Stacy’s three children have graduated from MCA, and one is currently on staff! 

Stacy’s love and passion for reading, Christian literature, and connecting kids to the right book is infectious. She humbly admits, “If I tell kids to read a book, they will read a book. If I talk about a book, they want to read it—and then everybody wants it.” One fun way she does this is through what she calls “book tasting.” Book tasting is when students gather and are presented with a selection of books to “taste.” Students are given a menu where they write things down, such as a book’s title, comments they have on it, etc. “They are getting a taste of the book.” Students then reflect on what they “tasted” and whether or not they enjoyed it. 

Behind the scenes, Stacy works day and night to ensure that what is offered in the Lower School Learning Commons is fresh, new, and exciting. “I am constantly looking for new books and keeping the circulation up to date.” Being only one person, however, Stacy loves to lean into parents’ knowledge for solid recommendations.

“I always encourage parents to [...] tell me about books that they’ve heard about that they know are good.” 

For those who have spent any amount of time in the LSLC, it’s clear that Stacy has been doing something right. Perhaps the strongest reason for Stacy’s success, however, is Stacy herself. Her testimony is both inspirational and applicable to where many of these kids are at with reading. “My testimony, and I share this with the kids, when I was little, I was not a good reader. [...] I was a student pulled for extra help. [...] I think for many kids, that can be an encouragement to think, ‘But you’re the library teacher!’ Well, it doesn’t matter. You know, God used me, and He helped me. [...] For me, I can relate to those kids that don’t like to read—I was them.” 

Stacy Huether is living proof that God can use anybody who’s willing to listen and follow Him. What was once an obstacle turned into an asset for Stacy to shine bright. To put it in her words,

“God can use anybody.”