May 18, 2004 – Excitement filled the air as students from kindergarten through 5th grade filled into the Joseph Gomez Elementary School cafeteria on Tuesday morning.
The students were earnestly seeking the rewards of their labor — a labor that won them the territorial "large site" championship title for the Reading is Fundamental Community Reading Challenge in the Virgin Islands.
About 178 students participated in the contest, which challenged them to read for points over a two-week period. Primary students — those in kindergarten through 3rd grade — had to complete four hours of reading. Intermediate students — those in grades 4 and 5 — had to complete six hours of reading. Each student garnered 50 points for each reading assignment completed.
In all, the Gomez pupils earned a total of 9,550 points, which made them No. 1.
"I was shocked when RIF called me and told me that we had won," Lorna Fraser, Gomez reading teacher and the school's RIF coordinator, said. "I didn't know we would have done so well."
The school received a certificate of accomplishment and a $250 gift certificate from Borders bookstore to purchase books for the school library. All of the participating students received medals. Community volunteers who came to read to the students received tokens of appreciation.
As part of Tuesday awards ceremony, students read poems and sang several numbers, including an original song titled "Read A Book."
Representatives of Sens. Carlton Dowe, Shawn-Michael Malone and Roosevelt David were present. David's office presented the school with a $250 check for the library to match the RIF gift certificate.
"We want to do whatever we can to push reading to our students," Fraser said. "As a reading teacher I am committed to keeping the RIF program going in our school, so that our students can continue to receive free books."
Evelyn Marcelli Elementary School was named the territory's "small site" champion for the Community Reading Challenge.
RIF is a not-for-profit literacy organization that seeks to prepare and motivate children to read by providing free books to the needy. The Community Reading Challenge is made possible through funding from the MetLife Foundation.
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