Our Lady
Comforter of the Afflicted
School
Accredited by the New
England Association of Schools & Colleges
Under the hat
Mayor
Jeanette McCarthy reads a Dr. Seuss book to fourth-graders at Our Lady
Comforter of the
Students of
Our Lady of the
In addition to the breakfast
which was dyed green with food color, students were also visited by several
guests, including Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy and WBZ-TV Channel 4's Scott Wahle, who read several of Dr. Seuss's books as part of
national effort known as "Read Across America," which celebrates the
author's birthday while at the same time exposes the entertainment in reading
to students.
Kim Charlson,
director of Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library at the
Wahle, who read Seuss's "Oh, The
Places You Will Go," to sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students, said
he is an avid reader and wants to encourage others to take up the habit. "A love of reading is something
that will bring them (children) pleasure all of their
lives," Wahle said. Wahle added that many of youths today are
bombarded with so many lights and images from computers, television, and video
games, and it's becoming more difficult to show them the fun in reading a book. "It's just words on a
page," he said. "It looks so boring to these kids, but it's not
boring."
Tracana, who is on the PTO, coordinated the
breakfast and guest readings. The event itself has been ongoing for nearly a decade."We know the kids just love it," Tracana said, adding that having such important guests
should help encourage the fun in reading to the students. "I hope that it made the kids
realize how important reading really is," she said. "I could tell on
their faces it meant a lot."
McCarthy read "The Foot
Book" and "McElligot's Pool" to first-
and fourth-graders, respectively.Fourth-grader Shamus
Egan, 10, said his favorite part of "McElligot's
Pool" was "when it told you about all the different fish." "It was cool," said
classmate Giuliana Pandolfi. "I liked the whole
book."
McCarthy explained to
students the meanings behind "McElligot's
Pool," one of them being that there are many different types of people in
the world, and that creativity can be very useful."Don't
let anyone tell you you can't have an
imagination," she told the students. "You can't not
imagine things."McCarthy
discussed safety with the students and talked about city politics and history,
as well as her duties as mayor.
"She's trying to make
laws for safety rules," said Pandolfi, 10. She said she likes the idea of
a law protecting kids when they go sledding."When
you sled, you have to wear a helmet," Pandolfi said. Pandolfi's teacher, Melanie Harvey, said
McCarthy's book reading and her discussion with the students was a very
positive experience for both her and the class. "I thought she did a really good
job not at just reading the story, but she gave them good messages,"
Fitzgerald, Bright, and
Matt Perkins can be reached at 781-398-8009 or at mperkins@cnc.com.