Washington University’s Big Read program is off to a successful start, with students and administrators praising the program for its effectiveness in connecting the University with local communities.

According to the Big Read’s informational pamphlet, the program was “designed to encourage literary reading by helping communities come together to read and discuss a single book.”

Cosponsored by the University along with many other organizations, including Edison Theatre, the Big Read Program is running for the rest of January.

“The Big Read does an incredible job of connecting communities within St. Louis and WU together around a common passion for books,” Director of the Community Service Office Stephanie Kurtzman said.

The National Endowment for the Arts provided a list of possible books to choose for this program. After the University and its partners applied for and received a grant for the program, they chose to focus on Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Director of Community Relations and Local Government Affairs Cheryl Adelstein explained that “To Kill a Mockingbird” was chosen for multiple reasons. Edison Theatre and the Metro Theatre Company had the rights to make the play, so the sponsors thought there would be additional benefits to performing it as well.

“We thought that it would be great to mix reading it as a book and seeing it as [a] play,” Adelstein said. “We just thought it would be a really cool way to help young people appreciate it more.”

Additionally, the program will explore themes associated with the book such as race, social justice and civil rights.

The play is performed during the school day at Edison Theatre for local high school students. There are also public performances on the weekends.

A group of undergraduate and graduate students from the English department lead programs every day for the high school students after the shows.

“The grant allowed for them to do these really cool exercises about guilt, innocence and bias with [the high school students] to help them process the play,” Adelstein said.

University students participating in this program have seen significant value to the activities.

“For me it was an excellent opportunity to share my skills with area youth. I think for them any opportunity that allows them to be on a college campus is a positive one, especially when the activity itself has potential for such impact,” graduate student Nicole Solawetz said.

Other students believe the Big Read has benefitted not only the high school students but also the participating college students.

“Participating in the Big Read program has truly been a rewarding experience,” freshman Clay Reed said. “As a native of the St. Louis community, it was a pleasure to see young high school students engaged in a rather controversial discussion. The program allowed the students to enhance their critical thinking abilities, something that is often overlooked in high school curricula.”

The students are also leading other successful programs, including public book discussions and talks. Speakers such as Rep. William Clay (D-Mo.), who wrote a book about racism in St. Louis, and Mary Badham, an actress in the 1962 film version of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” have participated.

“[The programs are] going great. All of our student matinées are sold out. The post-show programs are going really well. Our public events are being really well attended,” Adelstein said. “And so far we’re really happy with all that’s happened.”

Part of the program, The Human Race Machine—a contraption in which participants pretend to be of a different race to further their understanding of others, is in the Danforth University Center this week.

Adelstein is hoping that the University and its fellow cosponsors will continue to receive grants to organize this program in future years.

“I think that we hope to keep this program in the St. Louis community. This provides resources for the community and is a way for our students to be engaged in literacy so I think it’s a win-win,” Adelstein said.