Juanita Gardine K-8 School students and staff participated in a unique global movement, World Read Aloud Day, on Feb. 5 when students, teachers, staff and administrators read stories aloud as a means of promoting literacy.
Librarian Janice Ferdinand, who organized the event at the Richmond school, said, “All readers entered their assigned classes with the same goal in mind: to intrigue their listeners, evoke emotions, and make connections between the spoken and written word.”
According to www.litworld.org, World Read Aloud Day was founded in 2010 by the LitWorld organization as an “opportunity for people all around the globe to celebrate the joy of reading aloud, and advocate for literacy as a fundamental human right that belongs to everyone.”
Juanita Gardine K-8 took full advantage of that right, with Principal Barbara McGregor leading the charge by reading “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters” to 5th graders and Assistant Principal Anna Marie Gordon reading “The Rainbow Fish” to 2nd graders.
Students played an integral part in the success of the school-wide activity, with a large number of readers from the school’s service organizations participating, including the Future Business Leaders of America chapter, led by its president, Y’Sean Dee; Early Act’s president, Anelize Hodge, who read “Mean Jean, the Recess Queen;” and the Girl Scouts with scout leader Karen Thomas, who read “Aunt Flossie’s Hats.” Other student readers included academically talented 5th, 6th and 8th graders, who read a variety of stories.
There was a special treat when school counselor Laurise Oliver tap danced to the story “Rap A Tap Tap” with K’Nyla Jones. Ferdinand read “The Spider and the Fly” to 6th graders, and physical education teacher Kareem Degrasse read “Black Cowboy Wild Horses.”
“The looks on the students’ faces were priceless as they listened, laughed and simply enjoyed a great story,” Ferdinand said.
