Understanding Reading in the Age of AI by Velma

Understanding Reading in the Age of AI by Velma - October 2026 Scholarship Essay

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming normalized into society. There are various ways AI can help students learn: brainstorming ideas, explaining complex topics, or simplifying information that may be confusing. However, during my time in school, I realize some students use AI to complete their assignments instead of learning from the task themselves. Teachers often assign passages or books to be read, but some students use AI to generate summaries instead of reading. I started thinking, why wouldn’t students just read? And if we teach children to enjoy reading from a young age, can we better their learning habits?

I found myself thinking about how school tends to become more work-heavy as you grow older. There is reading to be done for homework, tests, and extra activities can seem like they fill up all your free time. I began to ask myself if this lifestyle cultivated students to take shortcuts whenever they could. AI allowed information to become readily available at students’ fingertips. However, what are students missing when they use summaries over reading something themselves? Sure, a summary can tell you what happens in a story, but it cannot show you. Reading allows you to discover what you think certain details are, picture the scenes yourself, and form your interpretation. I wanted to know how we could keep reading substantial in a world where technology is making information more convenient to obtain.

This curiosity led me to create my reading service project at A.J. Lewis Greenview Elementary School. I thought this would be a great opportunity to try and answer one portion of my question. If we made reading more interactive and fun for kids, would it influence how they engaged with a story? Instead of telling these kids that reading was good for them, I wanted to provide them with the tools to figure out what made reading so enjoyable. I read the book to them aloud and asked questions about what was happening. Then allowed the kids to act out some of their favorite parts.

What I found was impressive: they were excited. They smiled and laughed, telling me their thoughts and participating in the activities. These kids were not just listening to a story; they took what they heard and made it their own. Helping these kids read allowed me to realize that reading is more than an assignment you complete or information you obtain from a book. It can also be about using your imagination, asking questions, coming up with your interpretation, and expressing yourself.

This project allowed me to learn more about reading and what it means to be literate. Prior to my project, I mainly considered why students avoided reading. At my school, we have a library in which most students avoid. I thought they just didn’t like reading, which is why they never stuck their heads in to grab a book. However, my project allowed me to consider how the act of reading itself can affect how a child views reading. Allowing children to ask questions and get involved can help make a story fun. I did not know if one reading session would change a students perspective on reading long-term. However, I began to understand how powerful creating fun reading experiences can be.

My project also changed my perspective on AI. I do not think using AI is inherently bad because it can be used as another tool to help students learn. However, there is a difference between using technology to better your understanding and using it to not have to do something at all. Reading allows students to form their own ideas and practice thinking for themselves. Spending time with the elementary students at A.J. Lewis Greenview Elementary made me realize we should be encouraging kids to learn how to come up with answers rather than skipping over the opportunity to do so.

I still wonder about reading as students grow up and how schools can allow students to use AI but not become reliant on it. I do not have all the answers, but what I do know is that asking students to read is not enough. We have to show students why they should want to read. Seeing those kids soak up every word of their stories showed me reading is about more than just learning. It’s about imagination, interpretation, and discovery. In a world where answers are readily available to us at our convenience, I think it is important we allow students to experience finding those answers for themselves.