Courtesy Photos Decorations at Hinks Elementary are space-themed for reading month this year.

ALPENA — March is reading month, and elementary schools in Alpena are celebrating with decorations, reading incentives, and fun activities.

Alpena Public Schools Communications Director Lee Fitzpatrick said that reading is super important for kids in terms of their development. It is also central to academics.

The month provides extra fun and extra incentives to get kids reading, Fitzpatrick said.

At Hinks Elementary, the theme for the month is Read through Space, Principal Stephanie Hitchcock said in an email. The school is decked out in an outer space theme. Stars, planets, UFOs, and astronauts line the hallways. One door reads, “A book is a portal to other planets.”

Hinks will be hosting the space lab planetarium for students on March 26 as well as hosting a family night on March 31 to celebrate students’ accomplishments.

The theme at Sanborn Elementary is Sanborn Students are Happy Campers, Principal Kori Knudson said. Their theme for reading month is based on camping in the wilderness.

The staff at Sanborn are encouraging students to read 3,500 books this month. A gauge labeled “Sanborn’s Camp Read A Lot” in the hall will help students keep track of the number of books they’ve read over the month. They are also incentivizing students to read 20 minutes each night for 20 days in the month of March, said Knudson.

Lincoln Elementary’s theme this month is Reading Around the World, said Lincoln Secretary Janette Decker. Students will explore different cultures and countries throughout March.

In an APS Facebook post, photos taken by Fitzpatrick show decorations in elementary schools across the district including a sign reading “Yeti, Set, Read,” Sanborn’s book vending machine with a yellow ribbon wrapped around it, an ocean-themed display that says “Get hooked by a book,” and a Minecraft-themed showcase that reads, “Creeping into a good book.”