Lowell Celebrates Its Committed Readers

Nearly 60 students from grades 2, 3 and 4 were honored for their commitment to reading Friday morning in an all-school assembly.

Along with getting a certificate, each student who participated in the summer Read-A-Thon received a PTO scholastic coupon book worth $5 that could be used at the school’s book fair.

The students also received a yellow wristband that read “I Have Achieved My Reading Goal.”

According to Lowell literacy enrichment teacher Susan Daniels, these students, who then were just graduating from grades 1, 2 and 3, were encouraged to read at least 20 minutes a day during their summer vacation. Family members were asked to record the reading times on forms. 

Daniels encouraged all the other students at the assembly to follow the example of the Read-A-Thon participants.

“All you have to do is sign on to our next Read-A-Thon and commit to reading at least 20 minutes a day,” she said. “And you too could be honored in this way.”

Fourth-grader Kevin Trejo was one of the award recipients. He said his favorite book is “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney

“I like to read because it makes me smarter,” he said.

Lowell Principal Leslie Abrew held up her favorite book during the assembly and told all the students that “A Book About Pandas” by Ruth Belov Gross was one of the first books that got her on the path to reading when she was in the first grade.

“And after I read it, I earned a reading star,” said Abrew, holding up the worn and tattered book. “I felt so great. It was a moment that I would never forget. It made me feel so proud to join the other kids who had already earned their star for reading.”

She said she came across the book many years later when she was a teacher and made a promise to herself to encourage her children to dedicate time to reading every day.

This was the first time Lowell ran a Read-A-Thon program such as this, and Abrew said the school plans to continue with it.

“It was birthed from the students’ literacy enrichment teachers, Ms. Daniels and Ms. [Ann] Park,” Abrew said. “This is the first time that we’ve actually done something to recognize readers and get organizations like the PTO involved in honoring the students and encouraging other students. We hope to see many, many, many more students receiving certificates next year.”