Beloved Digital Reading Buddy Comes to Life at Marie Hughes

Amira (Jaclyn Brown Wright, Manager of Strategic Educator Engagement at Amira Learning, Inc.) walked into Ms. Carlsen’s class, and one amazed student immediately asked, “Did you teleport here?” Later, as she joined Mr. Valdez’s class to read a story, whispers of “Is she really Amira?” spread across the room. 

Ms. Wright is not only a former teacher and principal, but she is also the inspiration behind the digital avatar Amira. The company designed the character to mirror her energetic enthusiasm for reading, and even reflected her look in the avatar bringing the connection to life for students in an exciting and authentic way.

During her visit, Ms. Wright shared a story that cleverly echoed what happens when students log in to Amira in their classrooms. Just as the avatar “visits” them daily to encourage focus and engagement, the live visit helped students see how the digital and real Amira are connected. For children who regularly talk to and read with Amira on their computers, it was a powerful and encouraging reminder that their reading buddy is both real and meaningful.

Amira, along with a video crew and members of the Amira Learning strategic partnerships team, visited to capture student and teacher experiences. Our second grade team was fortunate to be one of the few schools to pilot the program last year, and both teachers and students loved it. We saw incredible reading growth, but what stood out even more were the stories. Students didn’t just improve in reading scores, they also found a friend in Amira and gained confidence as readers.

Students are naturally drawn to Amira in their reading journey, much like they would be to a favorite gaming character. Amira is more than just a digital tool, she becomes a reading buddy who personalizes learning for every child. With time she learns each student’s strengths and needs, which is especially powerful for children with speech differences, accents, or those who are shy and quiet readers.

For teachers, Amira has also become like a personal assistant. The platform connects to district curriculum, provides pacing guides, and extends whole group lessons into independent practice. While teachers work with small groups, other students continue learning in real time with Amira’s support. Teachers can also listen to recorded student readings, share them with families, and adjust any mis-assessments.

Amira isn’t just supporting students, she is building confidence, joy and connection in their reading journeys.