Stephanie Boardingham promotes childhood literacy in Forest Hill each year. So, it was natural that she participated in Trinity Metro’s Storytime Train Read & Ride! summer series.
The Forest Hill mayor was among the many Fort Worth-area community and educational leaders who read aloud to children aboard the 27.2-mile TEXRail passenger line in July and early August.
“I loved it,” said Boardingham, who participated in the literacy series three times. “The experience was just amazing. The kids were so interested, even the adults that attended. I would definitely do it again.”
Trinity Metro officials said the launch of the Storytime Train series was a success, contributing to an additional 3,000 riders on the TEXRail train in July and early August. The rides cost $2 for children over age 5 but promotional codes sliced that charge in half.
Expect more Storytime Train rides next summer since public reaction to the literary series was overwhelmingly positive.
“We received such incredible feedback from the families who attended the Storytime Train that we have definitely committed to doing it again next year,” said Anette Landeros, the transit agency’s chief strategic officer.
Next year’s World Cup activities likely will mean adjusting when Storytime will happen, she said.
Children loved hearing train-themed stories on their train rides, she said.
“For many of them, it was their first time on a train,” Landeros said. “Families enjoyed having a fun summertime activity that tied in transportation and literacy, and the kids received a book to take home at the end of the ride.”
Among the local leaders who volunteered to read on the train were Emily Messer, president of Texas Wesleyan University; Karen Molinar, superintendent of the Fort Worth Independent School District; Midori Clark, director of the Fort Worth Public Library; Rachel Capua, vice president of external operations and dean at Tarleton State Fort Worth; and Fort Worth City Council member Jeanette Martinez.
Trinity Metro president and CEO Rich Andreski and board members Ben Robertson and Isaac Manning also were guest readers. Ericka Garza, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, provided a storytime reading in Spanish.
Landeros said the Storytime trains were meant to be a fun but educational experience.
“We had several goals in mind when launching Storytime Train — making reading fun and exciting, introducing new riders to the system, and cultivating the next generation of transit riders,” she said.
Landeros said the agency was grateful to community leaders for their involvement as well as partners Atmos Energy and Fort Worth Public Library “for helping make this inaugural Storytime Train a big success!”
Forest Hill Mayor Stephanie Boardingham, kneeling, was aided by a volunteer dressed as the Cat in the Hat, read to children three times during the Storytime Train series. (Courtesy photo | Trinity Metro)
Boardingham, who is involved in Read Across Forest Hill, said she invited some residents, including council member Keith R. Smith, a longtime educator, to aid with her readings.
“We tried to make the experience more immersive by doing an educational trivia contest,” she said. “We also yelled out ‘choo-choo’ when we pulled into every station. The kids had fun doing that.”
Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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