Photo Courtesy of Lea Sanford
Greeley West Student Council students posed for this picture before heading out on a bus to Shawsheen to read to elementary students.
Greeley West Student Council members got the opportunity to read to elementary school kids at Shawsheen Elementary after being invited by Book Trust. About 27 students split into three groups and read to kids from preschool to 5th grade. The children loved the whole experience and were so excited to have older kids reading and talking to them, and just being a friend.
Sophomore STUCO member Janice Bercian said, “I was the only student who read to the fifth graders. You could feel how excited and curious these kids were. After reading we all got to participate in a community circle. They asked us what product we would buy from shark tank, and what changes we wanted to see in the world. Every kid had such creative answers. ”
After Greeley West student’s left they got a ton of cards and thank you letters from the Shawsheen kids. It really warmed the hearts of STUCO.
The Shawsheen kids also got a free copy of the most recent iteration of Dog Man, courtesy of the Book Trust Fund.
While this trip was intended to benefit the students of Shawsheen, many Student Council members found they also benefited. Senior STUCO member Annalyn Parker said, “I got to read to the kindergarten kids and I loved it. Their curiosity was pure and innocent. They asked me so many questions and they thought that I was the coolest person in the world. It made me realize how precious those years were and it made me feel ready to graduate.”
This whole experience was genuinely eye-opening to the Student Council and it put into perspective how far they had come from their years in elementary school.
The Student Council really enjoyed the event and hopes to be invited again next year.