Campbell school event promotes literacy

By Brandon Klein

bklein@vindy.com

CAMPBELL

For breakfast, third-graders enjoyed a meal of reading with a side of letters and words Wednesday morning.

Campbell Elementary and Middle School, 2002 Community Circle, hosted its “Breakfast with a Book” event in the school’s cafeteria and gymnasium.

“It’s to promote literacy and language development through a love of reading,” said Cameron Carter, a student-teacher at Campbell who recently graduated from Youngstown State University.

Third-graders chose a donated book from a provided library, and read the book with a special person, such as a relative, while they ate breakfast. Students were then able to take the book home.

Ava Tovarnak, 8, was reading with her mother, Annette Tovarnak, who’s a fourth-grade teacher at the school.

“I think Mr. Carter organized a great event,” Tovarnak said.

The event featured four special guest readers: Gail Saunders-Smith, a children’s author and YSU professor; Jane Buckingham, assistant principal of Campbell Elementary; Jess Briganti of The Vindicator’s broadcast partner 21 WFMJ-TV, and Jim Loboy of WYTV-33.

Additionally, YSU President Jim Tressel spoke to the audience about the importance of reading.

“It’s exciting when you get the chance to talk about the fundamentals such as reading,” he said.

Principal Jim Klingensmith said the event was outstanding for uniting the community.

“We’re talking about doing this again next year,” he said.