Reading Makes A Difference™

32nd Street USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School

Los Angeles, CA

Sponsored by:

USC Good Neighbors Campaign (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025)

2025

New Heights Celebrating Reading & Caring

Record-breaking! That’s how exciting 32nd Street Elementary’s 10th Jester Read-A-Thon was from beginning to end. Funded by USC Good Neighbors, the Los Angeles program resulted in:

A 1st grader in Dr. Purcell’s class reading 11,465 pages in just three weeks.
Dr. Purcell’s class alone read 65,864 – more than some entire schools!
Kindergarten through third graders turned a total of 172,059 pages to donate Jester books & dolls to patients at Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children.
In a Pharley Phun for All Art Contest, students loved illustrating where they find joy.
“The students especially liked that their reading competition helped children at the hospital,” said 3rd grade teacher Jennifer Wong.
“Jester books provide the children with joy,” hospital foundation director Michael Willis said thanking students for their thoughtfulness.

01 RMD Sponsored by USC Good Neighbors

02 RMD Sponsored by USC Good Neighbors Campaign

03 Amy Hastings with USC Student Jeanine Bautista

04 RMD Sponsored by USC Good Neighbors Campaign

05 Ms. Sanchez Kinder Honorable Mention Artist

06 Ms. Sanchez Kinder Top & Honorable Mention Artists

07 Dr. Purcell 1st Grade Honorable Mention & Top Artists

08 Ms. Cristales 2nd Grade Honorable Mention Artist

09 Ms. Cristales 2nd Grade Top Artist

10 Ms. Schaefer 2nd Grade Honorable Mention & Top Artists

11 Ms. Mooring 3rd Grade Honorable Mention & Top Artists

12 Ms. Wong 3rd Grade Top & Honorable Mention Artists

13 Mrs Feldman 3rd Grade Honorable Mention & Top Artists

14 Ms. Cristales is an artist too

15 Ms. Cristales and Amy Hastings

16 32nd Street Top Classrooms

17 Ms. Lopez Kinder Finalist & Top Reader

18 Ms. Sanchez Kinder Finalist & Top Reader

19 Ms. Sanchez with Class Top Artists and Readers

20 Dr. Purcell 1st Grade Finalist & Top Reader

21 Ms. Cristales 2nd Grade Finalist & Top Reader

22 2nd Grade Finalist & Top Reader

23 Ms. Feldman 3rd Grade Finalist Reader

24 Ms. Feldman 3rd Grade Top Reader

25 Ms. Mooring 3rd Grade Finalist & Top Reader

26 Ms. Wong 3rd Grade Finalist & Top Reader

27 Ms. Wong 3rd Grade Finalist & Top Reader

28 Luskin OIC's Michael Willis

29 Ms. Cristales' 2nd Grade Class

30 Amy Hastings, Maya Benitez, Danica Montes, Michael Willis

2019

Altogether they read 125,539 pages.

During the three week read-a-thon students from 32nd Street USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School kept journals to document their reading. Altogether they read 125,539 pages. The school, along with the Good Neighbors Campaign, donated 30 copies of The Jester Has Lost His Jingle/El Bufón ha perdido su gracia and 30 Jester & Pharley Dolls to Orthopaedic Institute for Children in Los Angeles, CA, for use with their young patients.

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2018

During the three week read-a-thon students kept journals to document their reading.

During the three week read-a-thon students from 32nd Street USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School kept journals to document their reading. Altogether they read 155,397 pages. The school, along with the Good Neighbors Campaign, donated 28 copies of The Jester Has Lost His Jingle/El Bufón ha perdido su gracia and 28 Jester & Pharley Dolls to Orthopaedic Institute for Children in Los Angeles, CA, for use with their young patients.

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2017

Altogether they read 84,642 pages.

During the three week read-a-thon students from 32nd Street USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School kept journals to document their reading. Altogether they read 84,642 pages. The school, along with the Good Neighbors Campaign, donated 30 copies of The Jester Has Lost His Jingle/El Bufón ha perdido su gracia and 30 Jester & Pharley Dolls to Orthopaedic Institute for Children in Los Angeles, CA, for use with their young patients.

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