August 7, 2020
Let’s join Rep. Leatherwood and his dog Toby as they read the book, “No Roses for Harry” aloud to us this week. We have so much fun with our guest readers and hope you enjoy the love of reading they spread as well.
Thanks for sticking with us all summer long! It’s hard to believe there’s only one month left of Tristar Reads. We hope this week back to school has been as smooth as possible for all Tennessee students. We’re grateful for all the teachers, parents, and staff who are working so hard to make going back to school safe and seamless for all of our students.
Have you ever heard the saying, “laughter is the best medicine?” It’s true! A chemical reaction happens in your brain whenever you laugh. Your stress hormones begin to decrease and immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies start to increase, thus improving your resistance to disease. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemical, which promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
It’s important, especially during these uncertain and sometimes stressful times, that we take a moment to laugh either at a funny video or with friends. We recommend finding a hilarious book and read it each night so that it’s the last thing on your mind before bedtime. Looking for some recommendations? Click here and here for curated lists with books for kids of all ages with laughter in mind.
Tristar Reads is in its final month and so we wanted to remind you to:
1. Keep logging your hours to TristarReads.com because we’ll want to have those in place as we calculate the winners at the beginning of September. If you missed recording reading hours earlier in the year, you are welcome to backlog those hours to count for the competition.
2. Keep reading books – even as school starts – and keep reading aloud to your kiddos. It’s such a great way to engage with your kids and stimulate a growing part of their brain.
3. Keep staying engaged with the Tennessee legislature by using your voice for Tennessee kids. Election Day was yesterday, but you can still engage with your local legislators by sending them an email about questions or concerns you have for your student and schools regarding COVID-19 here.
Share with us the things that have made you laugh this week, whether it’s a story, a movie, a video clip, a book, or a friend. Record your student describing or sharing this funny event or story and we’ll award a few submissions with a free book!
Submit your entry by replying to this email. Looking forward to laughing along with you!