By Adam Kramer
Educators have always urged parents to participate in their child’s education and one way parents can help is by reading to their children. Every year PS 33 in Queens Village prods its parents to take an active role with its annual Evelyn Stein Read-A-Thon.
For the past decade, PS 33, the Edward M. Funk School at 91-37 222nd St., has brought together a children’s book author, parents and community members in March to read to the more than 1,400 students from kindergarten to fifth grade.
But to celebrate the Evelyn Stein Read-A-Thon’s 10th anniversary Friday, the school featured three children’s book authors — Nina Crews, Doug Florian and Vera Williams — along with 25 honor students from Martin Van Buren High School and members of SNAP of northeast Queens.
“We invited as many people as we could to have reading go on all day long,” said Lawrence Cohen, principal of PS 33. “It is hectic but fun. We held the event after the reading exams this year because of the special nature of the event.”
He said the read-a-thon is the culmination of everything his staff works on throughout the year to develop strong reading skills, stress the importance of reading and instill a lifelong love of books in the school’s students
More than 100 parents came to the event throughout the day.
In three different rooms, the authors were able to spend time with the children and explain how they write and illustrate their books. The authors also answered all of the children’s questions about the different stages in the publishing process.
“I like any idea that gets kids involved with books,” Crews said. “I remember meeting authors as a kid and it is special to meet them.”
The students raise money for the event at fall and spring book fairs, Cohen said, and those funds cover the cost of buying the books written by the children’s author chosen to speak at the school’s Read-A-Thon.
The Read-A-Thon was started 10 years ago by the school’s former assistant principal, Evelyn Stein, who wanted to impart her love of books to the students. She said she pitched the idea to the school’s former principal, the late Edward Funk, who loved the idea.
“Today is a day when nothing gets done except reading,” Stein said. “We want to make readers out of all of them. We want this to stay with them forever.”
She said because it was the 10-year anniversary, they had to do something special, which is why three authors were invited.
“The event keeps children ecstatic about reading,” said Sandy Ray, a PTA member who has three children in the school. “They get to meet the authors, which is a very good learning experience, and gives them an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings about books they have read.”
The Read-A-Thon allows parents to actively take part in their child’s learning process, she said. By spending some time at the school, Ray said, parents can observe the teachers and participate in all of the activities.
“Many of the parents go into the room to assist and teach,” Cohen said. “Often parents never get to interact with the instructors, so it’s a wonderful experience.”
Marsha Phillips, a teacher at PS 33, said the day makes the books the student have read throughout the year come alive.
“You don’t just read books,” said Regina Wuest, an 11-year-old fifth grader from Queens Village. “ You get to meet the authors and explain your thoughts.”
Reach reporter Adam Kramer by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 157.
