Rutgers–Camden joins international effort to set a world reading record

October 7, 2010

Snow fell throughout preschool classrooms in Camden and across the world on October 7 as Rutgers–Camden joined an international effort to read Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day to 2.5 million children.

Jumpstart’s fifth annual ‘Read for the Record’ campaign attempted to become the largest shared reading experience ever recorded by breaking its own world record of two million children, set in 2009. 

Nationally, the Jumpstart campaign was featured on NBC’s The Today Show with a live broadcast from Rockefeller Plaza in New York City.  Among the celebrities and public figures who volunteered to read were Bill Cosby, Patti Labelle, Amanda Peet, and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. 

“The real issue is to make sure [children] know how important reading is. All of our kids have to understand that if they really want to participate and really be entertained, books are where it’s at,” Mayor Bloomberg said in an interview with The Today Show. 

At Rutgers–Camden, 50 volunteers — including U.S. Congressman Rob Andrews, Camden County Freeholder Riletta L. Cream, NJ Assemblyman Angel Fuentes, and Rutgers students, professors, and community members — read to over 200 children in the Rutgers Early Learning Research Academy preschool and LEAP Academy Charter School.

“I’m here because I believe in the students and families of LEAP Academy,” said Congressman Rob Andrews, who read to a group of four year olds and later asked them questions about the story and about their own experiences with snow.  Their discussion explored vocabulary, science, and human emotions.

“They used the story to demonstrate their skills.  That’s typical for LEAP; they don’t know boundaries,” added Congressman Andrews. 

In order to accommodate the number of volunteers this year, Rutgers Jumpstart had to create four different half-hour reading sessions. 

“It’s fantastic to see the Rutgers community volunteer time to participate in such an important event,” said Dr. Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, a Distinguished Service Professor of Public Administration at Rutgers–Camden and Director of the Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership (CSUCL), which supervises Rutgers Jumpstart. 

“Reading to children is so critical to early literacy, especially for urban youth.  Today, Rutgers and Jumpstart have not only shared the joy of reading with young students but have proven that together we can change lives and prepare our children for future success.”

With reports coming in from all across the country and from overseas, Jumpstart’s national office is busy tallying the numbers to find out if they reached the 2.5 million reading goal.  A total is not expected until the end of the month but Rutgers Jumpstart site manager Katie Mills was confident Jumpstart will reach its goal. 

“The enthusiasm for Read for the Record has been overwhelming,” Mills said.  “I have no doubt that, when the final numbers are added, we will reach this year’s of two and a half million children.”