Grade 2 Reading Fair at the Whittier School

Winners from Mrs. McGrath’s room, from left to right: Vanessa Pineda (1st Place), Djouvano
Lucien (2nd Place), and Gabriella DeSousa (3rd Place).

To celebrate Dr. Seuss’s Birthday and Read Across America Day, Whittier School second graders held their first annual Reading Fair.

On the morning of the event, the school’s library was home to 68 second graders who were eager to showcase special reading projects.  Students chose a book at their reading level, read it, and then designed a storyboard that included story elements as well as illustrations and decorations.  There was a wonderful gathering of parents, guardians, and family members who came to show their support.

The fair’s special guest judges were Mrs. Ells, Library Coordinator, Ms. Puleo, Librarian, Ms. Tringale, Assistant Principal, and Mr. McLucas, Principal.  The goal of the Reading Fair is to encourage students to read and give them the opportunity to share their learning through a visual and oral presentation.  The storyboards reflected creativity and hard work.  It was quite a challenge for our judges to choose three winners from each of the three second-grade classrooms.

Second grade teachers Mrs. Borgonzi, Mrs. Mallet, Mrs. McGrath, and Miss Nichols, awarded nine students with Reading Trophies.  The third place winners were Nicholas Pacheco for Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister, Julie Miranda with Arthur’s April Fools, by Marc Brown, and Gabriella DeSousa for The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein.  The second place winners included Leyli Duran-Arias with Miss Nelson is Back, by James Marshall, Jaden Rodriguez for X-Men by Stan Lee, and Djouvano Lucien with Peanut Butter Rhino, by Vincent Adriani.  The first place winners included Grace-Ann Pierre for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, by Judi Barrett, Roberto Riveira-Avelar with Cat in Boots, by Charles Perrault, and Vanessa Pineda for If You Give a Moose a Muffin, by Laura Numeroff.  All students showed enthusiasm for their projects and were very proud of their efforts.  This was a terrific beginning to a new tradition in second grade at the Sumner G. Whittier School.