- December 5, 2025
Melissa Holland read to Mrs. McCoppin' s class. Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Dorothy Mayhue, author of ' Monkey Bread Soup' with the book' s illustrator, Jeanette Harrell, and Dorothy' s sister Suelene Davis Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Matanzas head baseketball coach Donald Lockhart reads to Mrs. Bevacqua' s third-grade class. Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Dr. Terence Culver and Flagler County Board Member Janet McDonald Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Over 60 community members stopped by to read African-American history at Belle Terre Elementary School. Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Dr. Culver and News 13' s Brittany Jones Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Mr. and Mrs. Jennings Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Deputy Sheria Williams read to Mrs. Smith-Meck' s class. Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Dr. Culver with Mayor Holland, FCSO and PCFD Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Sheriff Rick Staly and Dr. Culver Photo by Jeff Dawsey
The Belle Terre Elementary School faculty introduced their students to a number of Black History tales from African-American authors through its inaugural African-American Read In on Thursday, Feb. 23, at BTES.
Principal Dr. Terence Culver sought the assistance of community leaders who read to classrooms. Those who responded included Mayor Melissa Holland, school board members, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies, firemen, retired educators, published authors and others.
“The community really stepped up to the plate; the students and the faculty loved it,” Culver said. “I’m hoping they took away cultural diversity.”
Matanzas basketball coach Donald Lockhart read “Salt in His Shoes” — a children’s book about Michael Jordan — to Mrs. Bevacqua’s third-grade class. During his reading, he displayed a few of his moves to reenact some of Jordan’s many skills.
“Anytime you can read to students and make an impact in their lives is great,” he said. “We talked a lot determination, which made Jordan successful and can make them successful too. This book was not just informational for the kids; it was informational and helpful for myself as well.”
Several Sixth-graders were selected to help the volunteers navigate their way throughout school campus. Among them were Zander Zaidel, who spoke of his joy in learning more about Black History.
“I think it’s really cool,” he said, “because we all should know about important things that have happened, like what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and many, many more accomplished.”
With the first African-American Read In completed, Culver is already anticipating a second one for next February.
“We actually turned away a lot of potential readers because of the short notice,” he said, “but, we’ll have 100+ next year. I also think all principals should take the step to introduce culture into our schools. Our schools are not made up of one culture. We have to bring diversity into our schools.”
