Hominy Valley Elementary School was filled with laughter and excitement as students gathered for a special assembly featuring a visit from the Asheville Humane Society to launch a new schoolwide reading initiative.
The visit kicked off the collective reading of “Shelby’s Story”, a book students will continue exploring in their classrooms in the coming weeks. The initiative is designed to build a love of reading while helping students learn about kindness, responsibility, and caring for animals.
Representatives from the Asheville Humane Society spoke with students about their mission and how fostering helps animals find loving, permanent homes. Students also met Toby, a former foster dog, and his owner, who shared how fostering changed Toby’s life and led him to his forever family.
Principal Dana Haney opened the assembly by reading the first page of “Shelby’s Story,” setting the tone for a morning centered on storytelling, empathy and connection.
The highlight of the assembly came with a surprise appearance by “Shelby” herself — the school’s physical education instructor dressed in a blow-up dog costume. The playful performance had students giggling and cheering as Shelby showed off a few tricks.
Students left the gym smiling and clutching their own copies of the book to take home, marking the beginning of a shared reading experience the school hopes will continue sparking conversations in classrooms and at home.