Senior Carnival Queen Leann Richardson promotes reading and creativity during literacy Month

GREAT BAY--Senior Carnival Queen 2026 and Miss St. Maarten Leann Richardson continued her community outreach during Literacy Month, spending time in classrooms reading to children and encouraging them to develop a stronger relationship with books, storytelling and creativity.

Richardson visited several classrooms where she read to students and interacted with them about the importance of literacy. While the reading sessions were the purpose of the visits, her crown naturally attracted plenty of attention from the children, adding excitement to the experience and creating an opportunity for meaningful interaction with the reigning queen.

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Classroom visits are not new to Richardson. Throughout her reign, she has visited numerous schools and classrooms to read to students, engage young people and help spread awareness on various topics. Her Literacy Month activities continued that effort, with a particular focus on helping children see reading as something that can be enjoyable, educational and personally meaningful.

Richardson also participated in a radio program discussion centered on encouraging the current generation to develop an interest in reading books. The conversation explored the experiences of growing up in St. Maarten with access to a library and how reading, particularly about history, helped shape the interests and perspectives of the panelists.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of young people understanding the history of St. Maarten and the wider region. Reading about the past can help children understand the communities in which they live, while also encouraging them to ask questions and explore subjects that may eventually develop into lifelong interests.

Richardson hopes more young people will be encouraged not only to read, but also to explore their own imaginations and discover the many ways in which they can tell stories. She would also like to see more local authors inspired to create work that reflects St. Maarten, its people, experiences and culture.

Whether through writing, storytelling, art or other forms of creativity, she believes children should be encouraged to develop their ideas and recognize that their own experiences can become stories worth sharing.

Literacy Month provides an opportunity to emphasize that literacy extends beyond the ability to read words on a page. It can help children develop confidence, creativity, curiosity and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

For Richardson, her classroom visits and participation in the wider Literacy Month conversation form part of her continued effort as Senior Carnival Queen and Miss St. Maarten to use her platform to connect with young people and contribute to educational and community awareness initiatives.

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