SAUGUS — The summer reading kickoff at STEAM Academy for the students in grades pre-K and K-5 got off to an exciting start with a real Beluga Whale from Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut zooming right into the classroom Thursday.
When this 6-foot, almost 20-foot white whale’s smiling face appeared, little spectators from the second grade gave a quiet sigh of admiration that became louder as the whale turned around and showed off its freckles and white tail.
The presenter who was standing by the side of the whale asked the children what their favorite color was, and after that she put a brush into the whale’s mouth, and the whale made a colorful sketch with it.
“The painting that Beluga did, they are going to send it to Saugus Public Library, and you can go and see it there,” said Mary-Kate Grocki, second grade teacher.
The audience then got a chance to ask questions, and some of them concerned the maximum speed the whale can travel, its diet, and also when it came to the aquarium.
“We hope this program will excite them to participate in the summer reading program,” said Elementary ELA and Humanities Curriculum Coordinator at Saugus Public Schools, Kristin Barclay.
The children said they liked the whale.
“I think that whales are cute,” said Owen Ciampoli, echoing the sentiment.
Most of the kids haven’t seen whales in real life, except Kyle Richard, who said he had been to that aquarium once, and who said that what they learned from the class was that whales could paint, but there were some who guessed more than that.
“I learned that whales could understand sign language,” said Zaki Belkheira.
He added that he learned that from the fact that when the instructor tapped the whale on the head, it responded with an action resembling what the gesture meant.
All the kids who answered the questions said they loved reading and were going to participate in the Saugus Public Library Summer Reading Program, because their teachers asked them to, said Michelle Jones, second grade teacher.
“They love to read what they are interested in,” said Grocki.
Barclay noted that they started closer cooperation with the library earlier this year, and Amy Melton, head of the children’s department, even brought Lauren Tarshis, author of the book series “I survived” — which is based on various historical disasters, from the Titanic to 9/11 — to the school.
Registration for the Saugus Public Library’s new summer program “Oceans of Possibilities” starts June 20, and the program runs through August 26. The program is intended to reduce what is known as the “Summer Slide” — the learning loss experienced between school years, which can leave students dramatically behind their peers.
All the programs are free and come with prizes. Kids will love the prize cart with books and toys, gift cards, and vouchers donated by local businesses, and even reading Brag Tags and colorful beads, as kids love watching the chain grow while recording their reading.
For more information, check the library’s online event calendar, or to register, please visit www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/children/summer-reading-program/. You can also register in person at the library.
Oksana Kotkina can be reached at [email protected].
