Growing through Books

Good morning. My name is Thomas, and I am in Form II. The story of my time at St. Albans is a journey of growing through books. Some of you know that I love to read. But this passion didn’t start after I came to St. Albans; rather, it began much, much earlier. I still remember reading my first chapter book in elementary school. My dad had a collection of books in a series called The Hardy Boys, which he himself had read when he was a kid. He’d wanted me to read them because he thought they were good for coming-of-age boys, and he thought I would like them. And I surely did. I read about adventure and mystery, immersing myself in the world of The Hardy Boys more and more with each book I read. By the time I had finished, I had developed a connection of sorts with the characters and settings in the series.

When I got to St. Albans in Form C, I was happy to discover that there was an entire block of the school day devoted to reading; this came in the form of library class. There, we would learn about the Dewey Decimal system, how to cite sources, and sometimes we even got to create our own books. Above all else, I enjoyed being able to use the library to check out books, because this allowed me to discover new genres and come across books and themes I wouldn’t have if I had just stuck to what was familiar.

In Form A, I was a library intern. This was a pivotal experience for me—it allowed me to give back to the library for the knowledge it had given me, but on top of that, it exposed me to the vast stores of the library—that is, how many themes, stories, and types of information it held. That year, in our homeroom classes, we also had a system where we would print out, laminate, and hang up covers of books we had read so far in the year. It was interesting to see what other people were reading, further introducing me to new types of books. That was my first experience being in a community of readers. Mr. Brown, my homeroom teacher, further spurred on this uncovering of stories, as he implored me to keep challenging myself by reading longer and more difficult books.

In Form I, I started to analyze the books I was reading more. That year, I joined a book club. It was fun to read a book with others and discuss it as we went through the story. In English class, we began to annotate books, looking out for character development, grammar, and other elements. Both experiences made me subconsciously start exploring the plots of the books I was reading more and more.

In Form II, my passion for reading seemed to die down when the pandemic hit. I could no longer visit the library, and shopping for books online was hard to do since I did not want to read what I was recommended, so I could only search for themes I already knew I liked. I’d also gone through all the books on my shelf, so it seemed like there was nothing new to read. However, that was the same year my sister started reading. She’d never been into reading before, so seeing her actively doing it and enjoying it piqued my interest again. It was just another time I had been put on to read by another person.

As I rediscovered my love of reading, I found that it is more than content and knowledge or even an escape from reality. When you’re absorbed in a book, you are transported into its world. You build connections with and visualize new characters and settings. When you read, you’re not worried about homework, or the next sports game, or that project you have to present the next day. All you have to do is focus on the plot—and as a bonus, you achieve a sense of calm along the way. Like the psalmist in the Good Shepherd, you are led by books outside of the hardships and challenges of daily life. You’re restored and calmed by books and led into new worlds. The best part is, reading will be there for you for the rest of your life.

As I’ve read over these past 10+ years, my passion for reading has not been stagnant. It’s matured and evolved, being shaped by the experiences I’ve had and the people in my life. I’ve begun to appreciate the plots of books more and discover new genres.

I’ve also learned and gained knowledge. But above all else, my passion for reading has changed me as a person. I consider it a gift to have found something that I not only enjoy doing, but also that teaches me and makes me grow into a better person. St. Albans has nurtured and driven this passion, and for that I will be ever grateful.

At this school, you don’t have to love reading to grow as a person. Your passion might be sports, or math, or chess. No matter what your passion is, St. Albans and its community will transform and evolve it, and as a result you’ll grow as a person too.