With the common theme of ‘kindness’ for this year’s World Read Aloud Day, students at Dows Lane Elementary School and Main Street School welcomed prominent members of the community as guest readers for the annual World Read Aloud Day on February 1. Each guest greeted the students, discussed what it means to be kind, and read a story from a beloved book.
Guests were encouraged to read What Does It Mean To Be Kind? by Rana DiOrio to kindergarten- through third-graders and Each Kindness by Jacquelin Woodson to fourth- and fifth-graders.
Among the readers were State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins; journalist and television host Meredith Vieira; Westchester County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky; Irvington Police Chief Michael Cerone; Westchester County Assistant District Attorney Susan Brownbill-Vega; as well as authors and writers.
Board of Education President Michael Hanna; Board of Education Vice President Brian Freidman; BOE Trustee David Graeber; BOE Trustee Maura Gedid; BOE Trustee Beth Propper; Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kristopher Harrison; Irvington Middle School Principal David Sottile; Irvington High School Principal David Cohen; former Irvington High School Principal Scott Mosenthal; and Irvington Education Foundation co-President Meredith Keltz also read books to the students.
The students joined millions of readers around the world to raise awareness about the importance of access to literacy as a human right and celebrated the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories.
It “fostered important discussions with our guest readers and …opportunities for students to share their experiences across classrooms…” said Main Street School Principal Joyce Chapnick.
Dows Lane Elementary School Principal Deb Mariniello said, “To witness the entire building engaged in the love of literature… to feel the energy of our readers, students and staff, and to spread the important message of kindness in each classroom, today and every day, was magical.”
World Read Aloud Day was sponsored in Irvington by the PTSA Legislative Strategic Advisory Committee; the worldwide event was spearheaded by the international literacy nonprofit LitWorld International Inc.
