Elementary School Gives Medals to Eager Readers

When Jenny Lehr, the Books and Beyond program coordinator, asked students in the auditorium who they thought the top winner was, the kids began chanting, “Mehdi, Mehdi.”

Sure enough, like last year, the top winner was 8-year-old Mehdi Torabi, who read 12,389 pages during the school year.

“His mom always used to read to him,” said his father, Hamid Torabi, 37. “It’s a direct result of that.”

But Mehdi wasn’t the only winner at the second annual event. About 110 students, surrounded by smiling parents snapping photos, were awarded medals at Calabash Street Elementary School Tuesday. The children read at least 2,400 pages at home or after school.

Throughout the school year, participating children received other incentives--cupcakes, bookmarks, pencils--to keep them reading, said Lehr, who coordinates the PTA-sponsored project. Lehr said the program helps kids improve their vocabulary and reading-comprehension skills.

“It cuts deeply into television viewing and video game time,” said Lehr. “We’re trying to introduce or reinforce the concept of reading for pleasure, which is in danger of becoming extinct with this generation.”

Sally Rogan said reading increases her daughter Rebecca’s self-confidence.

“When they can pick up a book and understand it, it gives them a sense of achievement, rather than if you just turn on the TV,” said Rogan. “When you’re reading, you make it happen.”

Barbara Scott said reading will help her daughter, Gena Scott-Gansauer, throughout life.

“It takes her into different worlds of the imagination. It’s a skill she’s going to need to be very good at,” Scott said.