
From left, C.J. Stretch and Harry Zolnierczyk, members of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey team, recently read to children at Stepney Elementary School in Monroe. Special Education teacher Donald Casey, at right, helped organize the visit.
Schools are always looking for fun ways to encourage students to get excited about reading, and Stepney Elementary in Monroe was able to achieve that goal recently with a visit from Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey team players.
The players were invited as celebrity guest readers for a special read aloud at the school. They shared some of their favorite books and answered students’ questions.
Special education teacher Donald Casey said the children were thrilled by the visit. “Five minutes before the players came into the room, you could just feel the excitement in the air.”
The children had many questions for the players, from “What was your favorite book in elementary school?” to “What did you like to do outside of school besides playing hockey?”
“It was such a great learning experience,” Casey said. “That kind of opportunity to share books together with role models is so important.”
Read Across America, coming up March 2, is a great opportunity that many schools make use of to generate excitement about reading. Are you holding any Read Across America events? Please share in the comments and we may be able to feature your school.