DeLauro Congratulates Students on Completing the Rosa’s Readers Program
NORTH HAVEN, CT (May 14, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today visited North Haven High School to congratulate local elementary school students who have completed the Rosa’s Readers program. Established by DeLauro in 2000, the program encourages interest in reading outside of the classroom and helps students develop a lifelong love of reading and learning.
“When we started Rosa’s Readers 16 years ago, we had one simple goal—to share with young students our love of reading. Today, thousands of students have joined the program and some of the earliest participants are now in college,” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. “Encouraging children to read is a group effort and the success of this program would not be possible without the parents, teachers, and volunteers who spend countless hours working with these students. Reading has a tremendous effect in the lives of our children and it is my hope that this program will continue to have a meaningful impact for many years to come.”
Each year, the program challenges students to read 20 books outside of the classroom over the course of the academic year. Open to all elementary schools in Connecticut’s Third Congressional District, 281 students from 22 elementary schools participated in the program this year, reading a total of more than 7,000 books. Since it was started, nearly 8,000 local students have participated in the program, reading a total of more than 150,000 books.
DeLauro presented the following awards at today’s event:
Big Reader: Read the most books of all participants
- Talia Coppola of Orange, Peck Place Elementary School, 196 books
Super Readers: Read more than 100 books
- David Lau of Middletown, Moody School, 141 books
- Daniel Lau of Middletown, Moody School, 139 books
Star Readers: Read between 75 and 100 books
- Ashlyn Kish of Derby, Bradley Elementary School, 90 books
- Winter Williams of Shelton, Booth Hill School, 89 books
During the ceremony, each student received a certificate of special recognition, as well as a bookmark that was designed by Liam Morrell of Northford (Jerome Harrison Elementary School). Liam’s winning bookmark design was selected from more than 200 entries. Honorable mentions in the bookmark contest include Sheahan Gray of Derby (Bradley Elementary School), Ethan Greenwood of Durham (John Lyman Elementary School), and Chloe Rizzi-Smith of Rockfall (John Lyman Elementary School).
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