Principal Jay Dale leading the book character parade at estes elementary

William W. Estes Elementary School celebrated Read Across America Week in a spirited way on Thursday, as students, teachers, staff, and administrators dressed up as their favorite book characters for a lively parade through the school. 

student dressed as up for book character parade

The annual event brought the joy of reading to life as the entire school community participated, transforming hallways into a vibrant showcase of beloved literary figures. Parents gathered in the lunchroom, waving and cheering as their children paraded past in creative costumes inspired by their favorite books. 

parent high fiving student during parade

“It was a great interactive way to have students engage in reading and make books come to life,” said one teacher. 

teachers dressed up as glinda, elphaba, and dorothy from the wizard of oz

The parade was part of the school’s larger Read Across America celebrations, which aim to promote literacy and foster a love of reading among students. The event concluded with students waving to their parents and returning back to their classrooms to continue the festivities. 

teacher dressed as pete the cat

“I loved how encouraging our whole school was during the parade,” said one student. 

teacher dressed up as woody from toy story

For Estes Elementary, the parade was not just about dressing up–it was a celebration of imagination, storytelling, and the power of books to inspire young minds. 

student dressed up as a "llittle women" character

View more photos here.