One School, One Book: Family literacy event kicks off at Lincoln School Of Science and Technology

Michael Alcala

April 2

A schoolwide literacy event kicked off Friday at Lincoln School of Science and Technology. This is the third year Lincoln has participated in the month-long initiative, called "One School, One Book." Through this program, each of the school's 255 students is given the same book along with a reading schedule. This year's book, voted on by the students, is "The Very Very Far North by Dan Bar-el."

The goal is to have the students read each night at home with their families, and when they return to school the next day the whole school is asked a trivia question related to the previous night's reading. Students' names are then entered into a bucket for a daily prize.

But the teachers and staff at Lincoln didn't just hand out the books. They gave the students an assembly they will never forget. The school's principal, Garrett Olguin, said the kids were "pretty jazzed" at the event, which was held Friday morning. Students watched as Einstein the Gorilla, the school's mascot, collected stuffed animals from the library, and entered the gym with those animals.

But when he came into the gym, the animals had all come to life, in the form of their favorite teachers in costume. The teachers then performed a skit related to the book to further spark the excitement for reading.

Olguin said while the event is about the students, it's also about their families.

Einstein the Gorilla with Lincoln Teachers Tara Brodeur, Mitch Ary, and Kirsten Trainor decked out in costumes for the school assembly. (Courtesy Photo)

"The importance of this is not just the school, it's the school community, our families too. It's all encompassing," Olguin said.

Pulling off the assembly didn't happen overnight. Because of the event's success over the last three years, the school has a team of staff that is fully dedicated to planning both the kick-off assembly and the closing event.

School counselor Kirsten Trainor said the team has been planning the kick-off since December. Trainor says her favorite part of the event is "engaging the families in being part of the excitement of reading and learning schoolwide."

There is a significant cost to the program, which Olguin says is made possible by the school's Parent Teacher Organization.

"Our PTO is generous and supportive of this program, and makes it possible so we can do this every year," Olguin said.

The entire event culminates in a schoolwide, carnival-type event, where classrooms are decked out with games, prizes, and school staff in costumes related to the book. About 350 people attended the final event in 2022, and in 2023, more than 500 people were in attendance.

Olguin said students were so excited they even invited the extended family to experience what is quickly becoming the favorite event of the school year. The final event will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. April 26 at Lincoln.