Community members read to youth

KENT — Though many other schools in the Northwest Corner held their Read Aloud day earlier in the month, Kent Center School held its own community literacy event on Friday, Feb. 27.

According to second-grade teacher Ane Starr, the school delayed its event so it would be closer to the birthday of the late children’s author Theodor Geisel, which is on Monday, March 2. Geisel was better known worldwide by his pen name, Dr. Seuss. His book, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go,� was read to the eighth grade by Selectman Bruce Adams and Board of Education Chairman Karren Garrity.

Starr said Read Aloud is a great way to bring members of the community into the school.

“We have doctors, nurses, public officials, just a huge variety of people from town,� Starr said. “Some of these readers have been doing this for years. All of our grade levels get excited when Read Aloud day happens.�

Sherman Green, who read “Dolphins in the Sand� by Jim Arnosky to a third-grade class, said he is used to reading books to children, especially because he has a grandson.

“He never goes to bed unless I read him three books,� Green said. “It’s all about continuity because kids love hearing stories.�

The event, sponsored by the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, included the following books: “Little Blue Truck,� by Alice Schertle, “A Visitor For Bear,� by Bonny Becker, “Gorgonzola,� by Margie Palatini, “Bats at the Library,� by Brian Lies, “Dolphins in the Sand,� by Jim Arnosky, “Ice Bears,� by Brenda Guiberson, “Way Up and Over Everything,� by Alice McGill, “Night Running,� by Elisa Carbone, “Barack,� by Jonah Winter and “Oh, The Places You’ll Go.� The books are donated to the school’s library. Funding is provided by Alcoa Howmet in Winsted.

Nurse Practitioner Karen Egenes Quirk read “Dolphins in the Sand� to a third-grade class.

“It’s nice to see the kids when they’re healthy instead of when they are sick,� Quirk said, and added that, “Reading is something positive that you can do without leaving the house.�

School Principal Rima Zelvis said the event not only encourages students to read, it also presents good role models to children.

“Hopefully, if children are given enough motivation, they will enjoy reading,� Zelvis said. “Research has shown that kids who are read to do well in school. It’s important for children to have good reading skills to get to a higher level in life. I think for adults to read to children, they need to read with expression, and sometimes stopping at certain points to explain the ideas that are expressed in the book.�

Zelvis read “Little Blue Truck� to a pre-kindergarten class on the day before Read Aloud day.

Also reading this year were: Sue Vizarri, Toni Hanny, Reverend Roger White, Jane Farnol, Scott Harvey, Eric Epstein, Sarah Marshall, Darlene Brady, Terry Williams, Suzanne LeFebvre, Melinda Keck, Cathe Mazza and Lesly Ferris.