Last modified: Friday, April 11, 2008 1:39 AM EDT Attleboro High School Sustained Silent Reading program coordinator Norma Kozaka, center, is flanked by students Rachel Lemay and Kim Talon as they discuss books that they've read. (Staff photo by Martin Gavin) Attleboro High School students log more than a million pages for the Sustained Silent Reading program BY RICK FOSTER / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF BY RICK FOSTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - Who says high school students don’t read anymore? Participants in Attleboro High School’s Sustained Silent Reading program devoured more than 3,700 books totaling more than a million pages during the fall semester, according to statistics compiled by the school. “It’s time to get away from school and spend a good 15-20 minutes reading,” said Kim Taton, a junior who tore through 18 books totaling 5,674 pages using the daily, 15-minute reading periods. Students who participate are asked to log the number of books they read and leave comments to guide other readers in selecting their own books. The school’s most voracious reader, Rosemary Goodman, knocked off 30 titles totalling more than 14,000 pages. Jenna Giuffrida, a junior who writes for The Page in The Sun Chronicle, says the daily reading period is her favorite time of day. “It’s a time when nobody’s demanding my attention, and I can enjoy what I’m reading,” she said. The school installed the daily reading periods several years ago, hoping to boost student literacy and instill a love of reading. The periods are held each day just before 9 a.m. Some teachers provide encouragement in the form of incentives or extra time to finish a chapter. Although not all students participate — some use the time for homework or to rest — the program has been successful over the years, said French teacher Norma Kozaka, who acts as coordinator for Sustained Silent Reading. “The more teachers are invested in the idea, the more successful it tends to be,” she said. Students are free to select whatever books they wish, and the subjects range from dreamy romance novels to classic literature. Caitlin Hughes, who managed to read 21 books last semester, said she’s a big fan of vampire novels, while Rachel LeMay managed to knock off “War and Peace” and “Great Expectations,” along with John Grisham’s “The Rainmaker.” RICK FOSTER can be reached at 508-236-0360 or at rfoster@thesunchronicle.com.