Throughout the month of March, several articles about reading month activities were published in Leader Publications’ newspapers. From stories of local schools like Justus Gage Elementary’s reading challenges and Patrick Hamilton Elementary’s new guided reading kits to our own columns and lists of good reads, it’s a privilege to publish such content and encouraging to see the push for local reading.

Reading as a necessary discipline for healthy society and citizens does not stop with March, however.

In the age of technology and information, it is ever more necessary for communities to reinforce the importance of reading to children and young students. More than any other time in history, children are raised in and subjected to environments of constant distraction. School, video games, athletics, music rehearsals, television and the internet constantly demand the attention of young people while disciplines with scientifically proven benefits, like reading, take backseats.

A lack of moral fortitude and propensity to repeating mistakes of history almost always has a clear arrow pointing to a disregard for literature and reading. The disregard is often a systemic result of societal complacency and intellectual laziness. As with anything else, we are products of our environment. If those around us are not reading or engaging in historical and contemporary literature, we are likely to repeat the poor habits.

“Leaders are readers,” is the all too pithy truth of every great society and period in history. Some of our country’s most admired presidents were furious readers and academics, as were most of our beloved activists and heroes.

If we hope for the coming generations to repeat the triumphs and great feats of history, we must show them, immerse them and implore them with literature and the humble discipline of reading, which begins in schools, society at large and, of course, at home.

Congratulations to the educators who made literacy a priority last month. With a new month ahead of us, we encourage parents and guardians to continue building upon the foundation their children’s teachers have laid.

Opinions expressed are those of general manager Ambrosia Neldon, managing editor Sarah Culton, sports editor Scott Novak and reporter Adam Droscha.