World Building

The combined insight of Quin and Averi, Reading Ambassadors who came up through the middle school program and will graduate high school in May 2027, has been critical in shaping the program for engagement of people their age. We talked with them about how they experience the current reading environment, how the program changed their perspectives and what awaits them after graduation. (The full discussion is at wowlit.org.)

Typical Dialog

Quin’s take on the U.S. becoming a “post-literate” society is measured, “We have different technology now that makes [some types of focus] kind of more difficult,” he says. “I don't think it’s doomsday. It's just a different generation growing up with new, different media.”

Averi asks, "If we are living in a soundbite world instead of a world of deep focus with people who can read, especially [with regards to] scientific things, can TikTok deliver to you what you need to know?”

“Not all of it,” Quin replies, “but maybe media evolves to require shorter attention spans so you can pick up information quickly from several sources.”

"If you have a shorter attention span, you're not able to lock in and ignore all the things coming in from the side," says Averi.

“You're able to interpret multiple pieces of information at the same time,” Quin clarifies. He talks about a process of scrolling that is more like research – looking up multiple bits of content on one theme to get clarity or learn how something works.

“One of the things we talked about [in AP Psyc] was the brain basically doesn't have the ability to multitask despite what a lot of people like to claim,” Averi says. "If you never just sit down and read a non-fiction book because it's too long and it's too boring, you're going to miss out on a lot of good information that you can't get from someone summarizing that chapter of the book in a 60-second video." 

Fiction Gets Real

“One thing you can gain from reading fiction is actual, true information,” says Averi. “And so you're able to learn about real historical events from fiction or you can even just learn messages from fiction, again like we were talking about climate change."

Quin adds, “One of the amazing things about fiction is that there's so many forms of it. There's historical fiction, there's realistic fiction, there's fantasy. And so there's so many different worlds you can delve into and so many different perspectives.”

Moral of the Story

Quin plans to study Astronomy/Astrophysics at the U of A while Averi plans to attend Northern Arizona University to study Biology with a minor in Astrobiology.

“People underestimate the amount of writing and reading you do in science fields.... The Reading Ambassador program taught me how to process what I'm reading and put it into words. And so that's really good for research papers,” Averi says.

Quin shares, “I love hearing what the authors have to say about their writing process.” Quin also mentions meeting graduate scholar, LaCher Pacheco, to talk about her research. “What we heard from LaCher about the environment and the insight from the kids she works with… It was like, wow, there's so much I can be doing to help. It was empowering. This program has been really empowering.”

“The program opened my eyes for opportunities in the future,” says Averi, “Meeting a bunch of authors, we get to learn about their activism and learn what they're doing in the world, and realize, oh, we can do that for the world too.”

Quin says, “The community really kept me coming back. It’s nice to be surrounded by people who I know also love reading and also share a lot of the same opinions as myself and then also have these like other ideas about the books that we're reading. That’s really, really cool.”

We couldn’t agree more, Quin. It is really cool. It’s our fortune to have Quin and Averi join us over the years. If you would like to support readers like Averi and Quin, please take a look at the giving levels to the right of your screen and consider making a gift.

Rising Action

Excerpt from All WRAP'd Up!Reading Ambassadors participate in literature discussions with books that offer multiple perspectives and equip them to be critical thinkers, empathetic citizens and reading promoters. They share their connections and understandings on the WOW Reads podcast and in their All WRAP’d Up! ‘zine. Show your support by listening to their podcast or stopping by to pick up a copy of their 'zine. You can also support the Reading Ambassadors by showing up to one of their public events.

Assemble for Adventure 

Please join these remarkable readers in action this October as they meet best-selling and Newbery-winning author, Donna Barba Higuera. Author events like this one are special because they are planned, promoted and moderated by Reading Ambassadors. From selecting refreshments to crafting thoughtful questions, these readers take ownership of the process. They are eager to show their peers—and you—the power of literature.

Middle School Reading Ambassadors Present Donna Barba Higuera

Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026

Time: 10 – 11:30 a.m.

Location: Worlds of Words Center, College of Education, Room 453

Higuera will share her new book, Xolo, which tells the true tale of Xolotl, the god of lightning, death and misfortune. This novel offers a perspective on the story of Quetzalcoatl who helped create the earth and stole back the bones of humanity from the evil god of the Underworld. Higuera, along with illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson, reimagine the Aztec myth of the origin of man and man's best friend.

Higuera’s books have been translated into over a dozen languages and include Lupe Wong Won't Dance, El Cucuy Is Scared, Too!, The Last Cuentista series, and The Yellow Handkerchief.

U of A Campus Store will join us with copies of several titles available for sale and autographing. Book sales and signing will occur from 11 to 11:30 a.m.

RSVPs are encouraged but not required. More information, including parking, accessibility and the RSVP form can be found at wowlit.org.

Be a Supportive Character

These events are more than just opportunities to meet authors—they are moments of community engagement, where Reading Ambassadors hone their abilities as organizers, moderators and champions of literature for people their ages. Your support makes a huge impact, allowing the Reading Ambassadors to access a variety of books, participate in thoughtful discussions and develop the skills they need to be leaders—both in their school and other social contexts.

By interacting with the podcast, ‘zine and author events, you'll witness first-hand how your contributions can support these middle school and teen readers. You'll see them ask probing questions, foster discussions on critical issues and create spaces for their peers to engage with literature in new and exciting ways.

Together, we can ensure that the Reading Ambassadors continue to discover the world through literature and help shape it using their voices. We look forward to seeing you at these exciting events!