An elementary school student's interest in becoming a content creator is helping spark a broader community conversation about literacy, education, and preparing children for an increasingly digital world.
On Thursday, November 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Center on Rural Parenting (CRP), Greenways at Marion, and Marion School District will host Community Reading Night at the Marion Performing Arts Center.
The community event will bring together children, families, educators, and community partners for an evening of reading, interactive literacy activities, and opportunities to strengthen connections between home, school, and the broader community. Families from Marion, West Memphis, Memphis, and surrounding communities are invited to attend.
The event was inspired by A’miyah Bailey, known alternatively as Zipuh Bee, a Marion School District student whose interest in becoming a content creator prompted her mother, Aaliyah Bailey, to consider a larger question: What skills do children need to participate safely, responsibly, and confidently in the digital world?
As founder and executive director of the Center on Rural Parenting, Bailey began exploring that question through the organization's Community Digital Awareness framework, which emphasizes preparing children and trusted adults to navigate the opportunities and challenges presented by digital technology, social media, artificial intelligence, and other evolving systems.
At the center of that work is a simple principle: Before children can critically evaluate the information they encounter, they must first develop the ability to read, comprehend, and understand it.
“Reading is important because even if it seems boring at first, you find a whole new universe after you start reading,” said A’miyah Bailey. “I want my friends to have fun reading, too.”
"As a parent, I want my daughter to have every opportunity to explore her interests, including technology and content creation. But I also recognize that access to technology doesn't automatically mean a child is prepared to understand or navigate it," said Aaliyah Bailey. "Through our Community Digital Awareness work, we're encouraging families and trusted adults to think beyond screen time and internet restrictions. We have to start with the foundational skills children need to understand the world around them. For us, literacy is the starting point."
For Bailey and her daughter, the connection between literacy and digital readiness extends beyond technology. It also reflects the importance of building supportive environments where children can develop their interests, strengthen their skills, and find opportunities to contribute to their communities.
When Bailey and her family relocated to Marion, access to affordable housing and a supportive educational environment were central to their decision. Today, Greenways at Marion represents the family's home environment, while Marion School District provides the educational setting in which A’Miyah continues to learn and grow.
Those two environments are now helping bring a student-inspired idea to the broader community.
"At Greenways at Marion, we believe that creating a strong community means doing more than providing a place to live. It means recognizing the people and families who call Greenways home and supporting opportunities for them to connect, grow, and thrive," said Teresa Clanton, Community Manager at Greenways at Marion. "When one of our residents brought forward an idea centered on supporting children's literacy and connecting families with their schools, we saw an opportunity to support something that could benefit the entire community. We're proud to help bring that vision to life."
Marion School District's participation reinforces the connection between classroom instruction, family engagement, and opportunities for students to develop literacy skills beyond the school day.
“Reading opens doors to learning, confidence, and opportunity,” said Mandi Edwards, Director of K-12 Curriculum, Instruction & Professional Development & K-6 Elementary Education for Marion School District. “This event brings families, schools, and community partners together to help children discover the joy of reading and give parents simple ways to support literacy at home. We’re grateful to the Center on Rural Parenting and Greenways at Marion for their partnership. What makes this especially meaningful is that it began with one of our own students -- a reminder that our children’s ideas can inspire something powerful for an entire community.”
The evening will feature interactive reading and literacy activities for children, opportunities for families to engage with community partners, and books for children to take home. A short community program will include remarks from Bailey, Greenways at Marion and Marion School District representatives, along with a special reading by A’miyah.
Although the event began with one child's questions and interests, organizers hope it will encourage a much broader conversation about the role of parents, educators, housing providers and other trusted adults in preparing young people for the future.
Families are invited to come out, enjoy an evening of reading and bring a canned food item to donate. Collected donations will support the accompanying fall food drive benefiting families in the community.
Event Details
What: Community Reading Night and Fall Food Drive
When: Thursday, November 12, 2026 | 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Where: Marion Performing Arts Center, 1 Patriot Drive, Marion, AR 72364
Who: Children, families, and community members in the Marion-West Memphis area
What to Bring: A love of reading and, if possible, a canned food item to donate
About the Center on Rural Parenting
The Center on Rural Parenting (CRP) supports rural children, families and communities by strengthening the connection and communications capacity of the organizations that serve them. Grounded in public health, Reproductive Justice, storytelling and community-rooted education, CRP provides communications technical assistance, capacity-building resources and practical learning materials for rural-serving organizations and community partners working across education, health, technology, broadband, workforce, family support and local development.
Through programs such as the Rural Half-School, hosted in partnership with the Missouri Rural Health Association, CRP helps these organizations communicate more clearly, listen more deeply, build community trust and better support the environments where rural children are raised, learn, connect and grow. Fiscally-sponsored by Build Missouri Health.
About Greenways at Marion
Greenways at Marion North and South Apartment Homes is a residential apartment community in Marion, Arkansas, offering housing, amenities, and opportunities for resident engagement. Through community events, partnerships, and resident-led initiatives, Greenways works to foster meaningful connections among residents and the surrounding community.
About Marion School District
The Marion School District is an innovative and growing district that ensures an equitable, engaging learning community where every student is empowered to achieve academic excellence and personal growth. With more than 150 years of experience serving families in Crittenden County, the district offers a high school, a junior high, a seventh grade academy, and three award-winning magnet schools. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.