The South Stars welcomed well-known writer and New York Times bestselling author John Schu back to campus on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, for a day of inspiration and encouragement.

Throughout the day, Schu visited kindergarten classes and held assemblies with South's first- through fifth-graders, where he explored his childhood and adult life, the experiences that shaped him, and led entertaining participation segments for students and teachers alike.

SEE MORE PHOTOS: PGCPS on Flickr

His educational background, earning a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and master's degrees in teaching and leadership, along with library and information science, served him well during his presentations and classroom visits. Alongside his energetic presentations, Schu gave students and teachers free books for participating in fun activities during his visit, and they had the opportunity to chat one-on-one with Schu during a book signing event after their class presentations.

This year's visit saw South's youngest students receive a free copy of Schu's book, This Is a Story. Other students were gifted their own signed copies of The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, a book close to Schu's heart that recounts the true story of a captive silverback gorilla named Ivan, told from Ivan's point of view, along with other secret literary surprises planned for the South Stars' students later this school year. 

South Elementary School librarian and passionate reader Ms. Tiffany Maxwell calls Schu's visits magical for teachers and staff.

"He wears his whole heart on his sleeve, and he sees our students, so just watching those kids be seen by him is just magical," she shared. "I find myself just watching the kids' and teachers' faces light up, and it's contagious. I look forward to seeing that spark continue throughout the year because his visit really created a reading culture here at South last year. They love to read here, and I think it is because we're able to bring in authors like John to meet our kids."

This visit marks the second time Schu has visited Prince George County Public Schools' campuses. During the 2025-26 School Year, Schu visited South Elementary, L.L. Beazley Elementary, and David A. Harrison Elementary for similar reading and meet-and-greet events.

To see more photos from John Schu's visit to Prince George County, visit PGCPS' Flickr channel.