On March 14, 2014, the Sacred Heart University Education Club, led by club vice president and Derby native Stephanie Dytko sponsored an event to celebrate Read Across America at Discovery Magnet School in Bridgeport.
The Discovery School is an inter-district magnet school with a focus on STEM. Its student population is made up of students from Bridgeport, Trumbull, Shelton, and other local cities.
NEA’s Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss.
In months leading up to the event, the club was busy collecting books to fill the rather bare shelves at Discovery Magnet School’s library. Members of the club urged fellow students, faculty and staff, and the community to “Give the Gift of Reading” by either donating new or gently used books or monetary donations.
The day of the event, a collection of over a thousand books for children in pre‑k through eighth grade and a check for over $300 was presented to the Principal Sangeeta Bella, school librarian Marge Cunningham, and the entire student body and staff.
To celebrate the power of reading and the new, fully stocked library, members of the community in different professions were invited to participate. Over a dozen individuals eagerly read a Dr. Seuss book to the children, spoke about their profession, and moreover inspired the kids that reading will hopefully inspire them to work towards their dream careers.
The participants for the event included: Ali Reed-news anchor from WTNH, Bobby Valentine: former Boston Red Sox Manager and current Athletic Director at Sacred Heart University, Charles Dimbo: Fire Inspector at Bridgeport Fire Department, Jeffrey Long, Bridgeport Police Officer, Kathleen Nastri: Koskoff, Koskoff, and Bieder, PC Attorneys at Law, Adele Jacobs: Jacobs and Quiles, LLC Attorneys and Counselors at Law, Shivaughn Osborn: Navy, Daniels Lamond: Office of Bridgeport Mayor Finch, Mike Giarratano: SHU College of Education professor, Nancy Sweeney: Bridgeport Librarian, Maureen: Bridgeport’s Bijou Theater, and Jeff Gabriel and Todd Zuckarman: Representatives (and Mascot) of the Bridgeport Bluefish.
Following the reading, members of the SHU Education Club led an activity for the kids. Students in grades pre‑k through third created Cat in the Hat inspired hats out of paper plates. Synonymous with “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” students in fourth grade through eighth grade wrote letters to their future selves with aspirations and goals for their future.
As a reminder to continue reading, each student of Discovery Magnet School wrote the name of his/her favorite book on a link which was formed into a chain that hangs down the school’s main stairwell.
