Lynn partnership provides plenty of reading material

LYNN – State Sen. Thomas McGee told Drewicz School fifth-graders that he read so many history books when he was little his mother thought there was something wrong with him.”My teacher told her, ?let him read as many history books as he likes because as long as he is reading he is learning something,'” he said. “So read what you love and read a lot.”McGee was at the Hood Street school Friday for the kickoff of a new partnership between the city, Lynn Public Schools and the Lynn Teachers Union and the launch of First Book.First Book is a national nonprofit that works with publishers to get books into the hands of students in need. For the Drewicz School that meant all 70 fifth-graders went home with three books each, “Island of the Blue Dolphin,” “How to Eat Fried Worms” and “Frindle.””You are the first ones to get these books as part of the First Book program and you can take them home tonight,” said Superintendent Catherine Latham.Latham and McGee joined Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, state Rep. elect and Councilor at large Brendan Crighton, LTU President Brant Duncan and Secretary of Education Matthew Malone at the event.Before taking time to read a chapter from “Frindle,” Malone told the students that the most important thing educators do is put books in students’ hands and teach them to read.”I’ve got one message for you,” he said. “I need you to read every night.”He challenged the kids to build their reading endurance and make their brains stronger by reading 20 minutes every single night.”If you do you’ll get taller, your brains will get stronger and doors will open for you.”Even though they are only in the fifth grade Malone said he wanted students to start thinking about college, which is just waiting for them.He said he also needed the students to be good to each other and to step outside their comfort zone and make friends with someone they might not typically talk to.”Because when you’re friends, friends work together and we all do better when we work together,” he said.Turning to speak to city and state leaders, Malone said he loved Lynn because people see possibilities here. “Other communities say ?I can’t’ but Lynn says ?I can,'” and turning to the kids Malone said, “I need you guys to say ?I can.'”Kennedy joked that she received the packet of books the previous night with an unusual homework assignment to read them through.”I don’t usually get homework,” she said.She told students that whether they read comic books or the side of the cereal box, it didn’t matter, as long as they read.Latham said when she was a student at Aborn she once received a free book, which she still has and she hoped students would treasure the books they received as she has treasured hers.The stacks of books were flanked by posters covered in sticky notes on which students had written their thoughts on reading.Marlina Truong said she likes to have books at home because it makes her mind work and because it helps to read signs when you get older.Mayli Soeun Kayliana wrote, “I like to read because I can learn interesting facts about things I never know about.””We are the luckiest school,” said Principal Patricia Hebert.Duncan said the goal is to have the rest of the fifth-graders in the public school system become as lucky as the Drewicz students but that will require a little more work.If organizers can get 2,000 people to sign up for the program, teachers, staffers, Boys and Girls Club and Girls Inc. workers and volunteers, the city could receive a visit from the Book Truck in December, which would be filled with 40,000 free, brand new books, Duncan said.”For too many children in Lynn, books they can take home and keep are a luxury that’s out of reach,” he said. “We can change that.”