Every Story Starts Somewhere: Celebrating Literacy Across ESU 13
October 20, 2026
Celebrating the many ways ESU 13 helps children discover the joy of reading.
A child sharing a favorite book with a parent. Preschoolers gathered for storytime. A student following along with a story on a screen. Each experience looks a little different, but they all help build literacy, one connection at a time.
October is National Book Month, a celebration of reading and the power of stories to inspire curiosity, imagination and learning. At Educational Service Unit 13 (ESU 13), those experiences reach far beyond the pages of a book.
Taking the Story Home
This October, ESU 13 is bringing literacy resources to more than 1,700 elementary students through its new Take the Story Home family literacy initiative.
Funded through the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant, the initiative provides grade-level-specific literacy kits to K-5 students at participating schools across the Nebraska Panhandle. The kits encourage families to read together, spark conversations and make literacy part of everyday life.
“Strong readers are built through strong partnerships. This initiative is about more than providing literacy materials. It's about connecting schools and families and giving parents the tools and confidence to support reading at home,” said Deirdre Amundsen, ESU 13 Director of Professional Learning.
The message is simple: You don't have to be a teacher to build a reader.
Literacy Looks Different for Every Learner
Literacy begins long before a child can read independently, and it may look different for some. It might be preschoolers gathered around a favorite picture book, a child sharing a story with family, or students using technology to explore pictures, sounds and words.
These everyday encounters build vocabulary, strengthen communication, spark curiosity and help children connect with the world around them, and here isn't just one way to experience a story. What matters is giving every child opportunities to participate, discover and learn.
Building Readers Together
Behind every learning reader is a network of families, educators and communities helping them succeed. And across ESU 13, educators and staff support literacy development with meaningful learning and encouraging connections between school and home.
“Some of the most meaningful literacy experiences happen during everyday moments at home,” said Stephanie Smith, ESU 13 Regional Literacy Coach. “Reading a book together, talking about a story, asking questions and playing with words all help children grow as readers. We want families to know that what they do at home truly matters.”
This National Book Month, take a few extra moments to share a story, explore a book or simply talk about the world around you. Because building a reader doesn't always begin with a book. Sometimes, it begins with a conversation, a familiar voice or the simple joy of discovering something new.
Every story starts somewhere.