Local leaders, celebrities read to fourth-graders

High school students serve as mentors for fourth-
graders.

WARREN — The city school district participated in National Young Readers Day on Tuesday afternoon and invited community leaders and local celebrities to read to fourth-graders.

Toni Blake, coordinator of the Teaching, Educating, Advising and Mentoring program, said the school district received a grant of $100,000 each year for three years for the program. The grant is from the Department of Education for safe and drug-free schools.

Blake said she thought it would be a good idea to bring the community leaders to read to the pupils, and for the pupils to meet them.

Mayor Michael O’Brien, associate Superintendent Loree Richardson, firefighter Mark Thigpen, and Jim Economos, owner of Saratoga Restaurant, were among the readers. Each read one or two books to a group of 10 to 15 kids at Horace Mann Elementary.

Warren G. Harding High School students serve as the mentors for the fourth-graders. “It’s a nice give-and-take between the kids,” Blake said.

Harding senior Kristen Placer said she has been part of the program from the beginning. She said they do many anti-drug activities and help the children to be better readers.

“I can tell how much they look up to us,” Placer said.

Jefferson K-8 Principal Steve Chiaro said the children see positive role models in their community.

“It’s extremely valuable to our kids,” he said.