On October 24, 2024, Hartford Public Schools teamed up with the United Way and Hartford Public Library for the annual Jumpstart Read for the Record event. Each year on Read for the Record day, volunteers from our community spend the morning reading an assigned book to a classroom of students across the district.
Volunteers from NBC Connecticut Caitlin Burchell and Taylor Kinzler joined in the fun at the kick-off and read with classrooms at Parkville Community School
This year, volunteers read “Piper Chen Sings,” by Phillipa Soo, then left the book in each classroom as a gift, thanks to the generosity of event sponsors, American Eagle Financial Credit Union and the Rotary Club of New Britain-Berlin. The book , by Grammy winner and Tony-nominated actress Phillipa Soo, Maris Pasquale Doran, and illustrator Qin Leng, tells the story about a young girl who loves to express herself through singing but is struck with self-doubt and nervousness when asked to perform a solo in front of an audience.
Volunteers gathered in the morning for a kickoff event held at Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School where the staff and students at Noah Webster treated volunteers to wonderful performances by the Noah Webster concert band, piano students and the advanced string orchestra.
Members of the Noah Webster Advanced String Orchestra
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is the world’s largest shared reading experience. More than two million readers and thousands of classrooms, libraries and communities come together annually to celebrate early literacy. Locally, more than 150 volunteers read to nearly 4,000 third grade students across the 860 region enjoyed the read-aloud story time and a related activity in their classrooms.
HPS Deputy Superintendent Paul Foster had meaningful discussions around the book's theme and details with Montessori students, ages 6 through 9 at Annie Fisher School
Read for the Record is one way that United Way, along with their partners, highlights the importance of child literacy and helps ensure all students can read proficiently by the start of fourth grade – a key indicator for their future success. A special shout out to United Way, Hartford Public Library, and our volunteer readers for helping our students develop a love for reading and literacy!
Music Teacher Ms. Peet leads the Noah Webster concert band, welcoming the guests