With seven extracurricular activities, junior Gabe Grote doesn’t have a lot of spare time. However, between National Honor Society, basketball, and StuCo, he manages to find time for another passion: reading.

“I actually read a lot,” Gabe said. “The ‘Alex Rider’ series, the ‘Divergent’ series, ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Twilight,’ and the ‘Percy Jackson’ books. It depends on my schedule. If I find a good book and I like it, I could probably read it in a day. If I don’t have homework, I read and if I have time during breaks, I read.”

Prior to seventh grade, Gabe wasn’t much of a reader and he detested English class. But all of that changed after one particular book: “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls.

“It made me cry, but made me realize that you can connect with literature — even if it’s not in person,” Gabe said.

Gabe was not only encouraged to read by his seventh grade English teacher, Robert Lockhart, but he also greatly improved his English performance as a result of his teaching. Since Lockhart’s death during the summer of 2011, Gabe has been more inspired to read.

“Before, I honestly hated English,” Gabe said. “It was probably my worst subject. I hated all of the vocab quizzes and I didn’t understand the terms. After I had him, he made me realize you have to put in an effort to succeed. He helped me to understand that in order to succeed you have to take your time and put your effort behind it.”

Each year, Gabe receives new books from his grandmother, Walda Assadi. Whenever she visits, she’ll bring him the first book in a series, and if Gabe enjoys it, she’ll take him to get the other books from the library or book stores. He is also inspired to read by his mother, Jennifer Assadi, an avid book worm.

“There’s much to be learned by simply reading a book,” Jennifer said. “My favorite part is escaping to other worlds without leaving the comfort of home. I’m so proud that Gabe enjoys reading. Hopefully his love for books will translate into him becoming a life-long learner.”