April 2021 Advisor

CELEBRATING

16 CEA ADVISOR APRIL 2021

CONNECTICUT EDUCATION FOUNDATION PULLS A FEW STRINGS TO BRING JOY OF READING TO CHILDREN Read Across Connecticut features virtual puppet show, book donation

When the pandemic put the brakes on in-person events like the Connecticut Education Foundation’s big blue reading bus tour, CEF had to think outside the bus. This year’s Read Across Connecticut literacy event took the form of a virtual puppet show with book characters reading The Someone New , by Jill Twiss. The book tells the story of diversity, kindness, and inclusion, and the event was streamed into 170 first-and second-grade classrooms in Bridgeport to help students discover the joys of reading on Read Across Connecticut Day, March 2. The program was also made available online, at cea.org/read-across- connecticut , so that all CEA members and their students could enjoy the show. More than 3,200 first- and second-grade students in 29 schools in Bridgeport, one of the state’s neediest districts, participated in the program and selected a new, free book of their own to take home, along with bookmarks, reading certificates, word searches, and a flyer for parents with tips on engaging children in reading at home. CEF, the nonprofit arm of the Connecticut Education Association, sponsored the event with partners iHeartRadio, Dalio Philanthropies, and the National Education Association. Jill Twiss’s publisher, HarperCollins, donated 100 copies of The Someone New so that all Bridgeport first- and second-grade classroom libraries have a copy. Abrams Books donated 500 copies of Our Little Kitchen , by Jillian Tamaki, and Mercer Mayer—best known for his Little Critter and Little Monster books—contributed 200 copies of his books as well. The generosity of the partners and book donations ensured that every student received a book to take home. “We were glad that despite the pandemic, we were still able to bring the fun and excitement of reading to children,” said CEF President and CEA Vice President Tom Nicholas. “While Bridgeport students were the first audience for this spectacular program, the beauty of it is that it is available to students throughout the state. Educators, students, and parents can access our free online

“We appreciate CEF for recognizing the great need in Bridgeport schools and coming through with this virtual celebration of diversity and reading.” Bridgeport Education Association President Ana Batista

Bridgeport Education Association President Ana Batista (second from right) and CEA UniServ Rep Eric Marshall join educators in celebrating one of Bridgeport’s star readers.

resources anytime, witness the magic of a story read by puppets, watch a Q&A session with author Jill Twiss, and download some great literacy activities and resources.” Nicholas added, “Reading is essential for student success, but too many children don’t have their own books to read, and often students of color don’t see themselves depicted in books, so our program provided a variety of books featuring Black and brown characters that Bridgeport first- and second-graders could select and bring home.” Titles included • The Name Jar , by Yangsook Choi • Frog and Toad Are Friends , by Arnold Lobel • Mrs. Katz and Tush , by Patricia Polacco • Yasmine the Friend , by Saadia Faruqi • EllRay Jakes Stands Tall , by Sally Warner • Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up , by Melissa Thomson • Tacky the Penguin , by Helen Lester “We appreciate CEF for recognizing the great need in Bridgeport schools and coming through with this virtual celebration of diversity and reading,” said Bridgeport Education Association President and bilingual teacher Ana Batista. “Many of our students don’t have a lot of their own books and don’t see themselves in the books they have, so these free books featuring diverse characters, and often children of color, are a wonderful way of helping students

Jamelah Qadir’s students at Jennings Elementary School in New London celebrate Read Across Connecticut.

connect with stories and enhance their reading skills.” The Read Across Connecticut virtual puppet program was part of the national Read Across America Day, a yearly initiative from the National Education Association designed to motivate children to read and bring the joy of reading to students of all ages. CEF worked with graduates of the University of Connecticut Puppet Arts Program and Wonderspark Puppets to bring the characters in The Someone New to life in a video read-aloud and Q&A with puppets and the book’s author discussing the

importance of differences, inclusivity, and friendship. “We are grateful to Jill Twiss for participating in this project and working with us to provide a valuable tool that teaches about diversity and reinforces an appreciation of reading that children will carry with them for the rest of their lives,” said Nicholas. “I am so thrilled for The Someone New to be part of Read Across Connecticut Day,” said Twiss. “I loved hearing books read aloud as a kid, and it means so much to me to have my own book involved in this project.”

KEEP THE CELEBRATION GOING! Visit cea.org/read-across-connecticut for top 10 book recommendations for early, middle, and young adult readers. There, you can also download bookmarks, certificates, and

Bethel students enjoyed a puppet show based on The Someone New, by Jill Twiss, available for viewing to all Connecticut educators and students at cea.org .

word games as well as watch the original The Someone New puppet show and author Q&A.