Governor Stein visits Belville Elementary, proclaims March as Reading Month

BELVILLE, NC (WWAY) — For the second time since becoming Governor, Josh Stein visited the Cape Fear on Monday, stopping by Belville Elementary to celebrate National Read Across America Week.

Stein spent time reading “Where the Wild Things Are” to a class of first graders before taking a school tour.

He spent time speaking with classes from several different grade levels, even getting to hear some students share what they would do if they were governor.

During the visit, he also signed a proclamation naming March as Reading Month for North Carolina.

Stein said his focus is two-fold helping students as well as the people who teach them.

“What we as a state have to do is make sure we don’t fail them, by failing to invest adequately in them,” Stein said. “I’m going to be releasing my budget in the coming weeks and making sure that we have strong public schools, which open up doors of opportunities for all of our children. It’s going to be a top priority.”

The Office of State Budget and Management predicts an education budget of nearly $35 billion for fiscal year 2025-26.