Wilton Education Foundation officials announced that Reading Rocks! raised over $54,000 this year for the foundation’s support of Wilton Public Schools. The program has raised more than $596,000 since its inception 14 years ago.
This year, following the WEF-sponsored a visit from the Harlem Wizards’ last fall and the sold-out Harry Potter and the Cursed Child production at Wilton High School, Reading Rocks! cast its own spell with the enchanting theme, ‘Reading is Magic.’ The fundraiser kicked off with Dress Like a Rockstar/Favorite Wizard Day at Miller-Driscoll and Cider Mill Elementary Schools on Jan. 17. Participation spanned students across Wilton Public Schools and featured a video created by the talented cast members of WHS Theater as well as a special hallway concert performed by Cider Mill’s very own Jazz Band students. The talented Miller-Driscoll music faculty welcomed Miller-Driscoll students with a hallway concert as they entered school for the day.
As part of Reading Rocks!, Miller-Driscoll and Cider Mill once again celebrated World Read Aloud Day on Feb. 5. Both schools welcomed over 70 members of the community into each classroom to read a book selected in collaboration with the school librarians.
Carol Johnson, Fairfield County Bank vice president and the Wilton Library Association Board of Trustees president, is a returning participant in World Read Aloud Day.
“World Read Aloud Day is one of my favorite events each year. It is so much fun to watch the expressions on the faces of the students as the story you are reading unfolds. I am a steadfast advocate of life-long learning, and I believe that World Read Aloud Day helps to reinforce the importance of reading, while nurturing an appreciation for the magical journeys we experience through books,” she said.
Miller-Driscoll Assistant Principal Bernadette Hess was grateful to the community members who devoted time to visiting classrooms.
“Our students and teachers love having members of the Wilton community come to Miller-Driscoll to read to their classes as part of World Read Aloud Day. We are thankful to all of our wonderful community readers for volunteering their time,” she said.
Wilton Education Foundation (WEF) will partner with Wilton school officials to determine where to focus funds from this year’s Reading Rocks! fundraiser.
“The donations from Reading Rocks, and our other fundraising efforts throughout the year, allow us to fund grants like the following that were approved this school year: WHS’s Robotics Lab, Civic Education Professional Development, Middlebrook’s Science Fair, expansion of the WHS Podcasting Studio, and Professional Learning Opportunities for LLC Staff,” WEF Chair Jennifer Carvajal said.
“These donations also allow us to sponsor the Middlebrook Career Awareness Day and the inaugural WHS Career Day. Our goal is to have an impact at all Wilton Public Schools in the areas of technology, music and arts, and professional development,” Carvajal added.
Reading Rocks is WEF’s largest fundraiser of the year, and Carvajal said the program embodies the organization’s mission of extending all Wilton students’ learning beyond the curriculum and beyond what the school budget is able to provide, helping to make a difference in the lives of Wilton students and the future of the community.
This year’s program was co-chaired by WEF members Liz Brown, Caroline Hoffman and Sarah Rondeau.
Winners and Awardees
Recognized with special prizes for highest participation at each school were Kent at Cider Mill and kindergarten at Miller-Driscoll. Organizers also gave a special shout-out to the top funder from each school: fourth grader Davis Janey (the leading funder for his fourth year in a row) who raised $2,360, and first grader Andrew Ramierez who raised $1,000. As a token of gratitude for going above and beyond, a book of each child’s choosing will be donated to the Miller-Driscoll and Cider Mill libraries in their names.
The Grand prize of an iPad went to John Dellapina in Mrs. Kubo’s third grade class. “I feel so accomplished! I am excited about the iPad, but I’m more excited about how much I read,” Dellapina said.
A gift basket full of books and magic tricks was awarded to Louisa Facini in Mrs. Cortese’s first grade class for completing her reading goals and submitting her results to the Reading Rocks! team, a new incentive added this year. “I can’t believe I won! I love reading so much!” Facini said when told she was the lucky winner.
WEF officials noted that they are grateful for the continued support and sponsorship from the Stroup family. In addition, they thanked several community sponsors for ongoing assistance throughout the year:
Blue and Yellow Ukraine
Caraluzzi’s
College Creamery
Georgetown Orthodontics
ONS Orthopedic and Neurosurgery Specialists
Outdoor Sports Center
Kaoud’s Carpets and Rugs
GOOD Morning Wilton
Riverbrook Regional YMCA
360 Painting
Rings End
Village Market
Wilton Deli
Next up for WEF is the Get Smart for Wilton 5K in May, is another fun way to support Wilton Education Foundation. Information about other events and programs run by WEF throughout the year can be found on the Wilton Education Foundation website.