November 13, 2025
Last year, City Academy students read more than 87 million words, pulling titles from a library of 10,691 books. Among them was fourth grader Arlo, who finished nearly 2 million words on his own. For him, the joy is simple: “I just like the excitement of checking out books, especially if it’s a new series for me.”
Librarian Martha Altvater plays a central role in sparking that joy. She knows the library’s collection inside and out and even spends her summers reading what she calls the “slow-movers” so she can better recommend them. Her goal is to match students with books that not only challenge them, but also capture their imagination. “There’s something to be said for getting lost in a book,” she said. “Just going in your room, turning everything off, and getting lost in a fantasy.”
After finishing a book, students — or “customers,” as Altvater likes to call them — return to take an Accelerated Reader quiz, which measures comprehension. Then they’re off again, roaming the shelves for the next book in a series or perhaps something new. The experience feels more like visiting a neighborhood bookstore than a school library.
“The English language is really difficult to learn,” said Reading Specialist Jenny Burghoff. “So I think the key is to make it fun and really explore different interests. I think our library is perfect for helping kids find that joy of reading and discovering that it doesn’t have to feel like homework — they can find something they truly enjoy.”
Accelerated Reader also tracks the number of words students read. In December 2023, one student realized she had passed the 1-million-word mark and shared her excitement with Altvater. Out of that moment came the Million Word Club. Today, students who read at least half a million words earn a certificate and a keychain, adding book charms as they reach new milestones. For Arlo, who finished the entire Harry Potter series in about a year and a half, hitting the million-word mark was a proud moment. “It was really exciting to see that I was reading that much,” he said. “I felt proud of myself because that’s a huge accomplishment.”
Both Altvater and Burghoff emphasize that modeling a love for reading is essential, which is why they can always be seen carrying a book and why they enjoy leading read-alouds, whether in classrooms or at school-wide events. Burghoff also helps make reading visible through a bulletin board where students and teachers share their favorite books from childhood or what they’re reading now, creating connections across grades.
That same modeling extends beyond staff through the Mystery Reader program, which brings friends of the school into junior kindergarten to share their favorite stories. As STEAM Teacher Evelyn Rosario explained, “It’s not just teachers or family members who love reading — people in all kinds of roles value sharing stories and make time in their busy day to read with us.”
While the love of reading can be hard to measure, other statistics are much clearer. According to end-of-year testing in May, City Academy scholars were reading more than two grade levels ahead of the national grade-equivalent average. By the time sixth graders headed off to secondary school this fall, they were reading at an eleventh-grade level.
Before students can aspire to such milestones, they need a strong foundation. Most early reading instruction takes place in Humanities classrooms, where teachers guide daily lessons and discussions. The Student Support Team works alongside classroom teachers to provide additional help. Burghoff focuses on the early stages of literacy, working one-on-one and in small groups with younger learners on phonics, decoding, and prereading skills. “It’s really incredible the growth that you can see just from the start of one school year to the end of that school year,” Burghoff said. “They’re just a completely different reader. They can go from only knowing letters to by the end of the year reading short stories.”
Burghoff has seen the impact reading can have on a student’s mindset. She recalled a group of girls she worked with who had struggled the year before. “Kids know when they struggle with reading, and they know it pretty early on,” she said. “One of the biggest things is just trying to boost their confidence. When it finally clicks, that’s the biggest impact — their self-esteem and how they feel as a learner.”