On Read Across America Day, today, the founder and CEO of I LOVE BOOKS, will be on the Holmes campus, telling his story and delivering books to middle school students.
Jonathan Beatty, who is known as Chief Bookman on TIK TOK, is actually a former student of Michelle Pray when she taught at Perry County Central High School in Hazard.
For the past three years, Pray has been teaching at Holmes Middle School, first as an English teacher, and now as the Careers, Financial Literacy and Digital Citizenship Instructor.
“I originally invited him to speak to my careers classes, but the more I found out about his foundation, the more I thought what a perfect person to talk to our entire student body,” Pray said. “He focuses on the importance of literacy from childhood to adulthood.”
After graduating from the University of Kentucky with his BBA degree in Marketing/Management and his Master’s degree in Finance, Beatty entered the corporate America workforce through a prestigious position with Procter and Gamble in Cincinnati.
He eventually moved to California before returning to his native state of Kentucky.
“This is when he began to make correlations between the problem of illiteracy and the crime and poverty that have befallen so many,” Pray said.
According to Beatty, children emulate what the adults in their life do. They need to see adults reading for enjoyment.
He hopes to help foster this enjoyment in kids by making sure that all young people have access to books.
The assemblies will take place in the Jack Moreland Auditorium at Holmes High School, 2500 Madison Ave., Covington, at the following times: 6th graders, 10:15 a.m. 7th graders, 1 p.m. 8 graders 1:40 p.m.
“It’s awesome when you see your former students find their passion and become adults that want to give back to society,” Pray said. “I’m so proud of him.”
