Reading Makes A Difference™

A ‘Cool School’ Gets Hot
Norwood Street’s Polar Bears dove headfirst into their third Read-A-Thon sponsored by the Good Neighbors campaign of the University of Southern California. In just three weeks they read over 100,000 more pages than a year ago – a total of 174,422!
Fifth grade teacher Trista Bernato was thrilled to see students reading so much to generate the donation of Jester books and dolls to nearby Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children. “I saw an increase in reading and students encouraging each other and sharing good books,” she observed happily.
Victoria Valles’ 5th-grade class took top honors with one student reading 36,840 pages and the class total reaching 41,520 pages.
Luskin Assistant Vice President Mary Beth Perrine and Director of Operations Lina Velarde joined numerous parents to applaud the Polar Bears’ outstanding efforts. “We’re so grateful,” Ms. Perrine said with a big smile. “The Jester books are always a huge hit with our patients.”

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

Altogether they read 109,249 pages.
During the three week read-a-thon students from Norwood Street Elementary School kept journals to document their reading. Altogether they read 109,249 pages. The school, along with USC’s Good Neighbors Campaign, was able to donate 105 copies of The Jester Has Lost His Jingle/El Bufón ha perdido su gracia to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, for use with their young patients.