Heroes become champions of literacy by sharing stories with Edison students
February 10, 2022 at 7:49 a.m.
Returning to his alma mater several decades later, Port Chester volunteer firefighter Jerry Donahue shares an impactful story with Edison Elementary School first-graders in Stacey Malley’s class on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Reading “Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too),” he’s participating in World Read Aloud Day, a globally-recognized event to promote literacy.
On her way into the building for her slotted reading time, Superintendent Dr. Aurelia Henriquez passes by a group on kindergarteners checking out a Port Chester firetruck and stops to take a quick snap of the kids in their hand-made “World Read Aloud Day” crowns.
Kindergarteners in Vilma Regueira’s class, including Ezequiel Ventura (front), are happy to be outside to ask local firefighters questions during a firetruck demonstration.
As firefighter Amy Lori demonstrates the vigorous shriek of an alarm to kindergarteners in Yesenia Joseph’s class, Mariam Mohammed (left) and Tiffany Salazar cover their ears in shock. Because Edison Elementary School’s theme of the year is “service, gratitude and belonging,” the school invited local heroes and activists to participate in World Read Aloud Day.
Edison School first-grader Gilson Duchimaza gets comfortable at his desk so he can fully invest himself in the story being read.
Yaritza Hernandez, a student in Amy Simmons’ fourth-grade class, journeys to the camera at the front of the room to chat with New York University lecturer Terrence Coffie about the deeper social justice messaging behind the Langston Hughes poem, “I, Too.”
Port Chester Police Officer Joseph Romanello looks on while Edison Elementary School Principal Ivan Tolentino greets the cop who’s most excited to be visiting classrooms: K9 Officer Mac.
