This month, Rotary Club of Shepherdstown members spent time in first grade classrooms at T.A. Lowery Elementary for our Rotary Reads program. Paul Kradel read to Mrs. Blue’s first graders, and Jamie Miller read to Ms. Sokel’s first grade class.
About the Book
Our October book was The Caring Me I Want to Be!, a picture book written by Mary DiPalermo and illustrated by Emma Randall. It is a warm, colorful story about the everyday ways children can show kindness: helping a friend, sharing, including others, and noticing when someone needs a hand. Along the way, it invites young readers to imagine the kind of caring person they want to grow into. It is a natural fit for first graders who are learning what it means to be a good classmate and friend, and a message Rotarians take to heart too.
Each student received their own copy of the book to take home. The students were wonderful listeners, and it was a joy to see so many hands in the air holding up their books.
This literacy initiative was launched jointly by the Shepherdstown and Charles Town Rotary Clubs in 2023. Members of both clubs visit participating Jefferson County elementary schools four times each year to read to first grade classes. Each child receives a copy of the book that is read aloud, which they are encouraged to take home and keep. Book selections are made by the schools’ teachers, and all books are purchased and provided by the Rotary Clubs.
Thank You
Our thanks go to Judy Wilson for coordinating this month’s readings, and to Mrs. Blue, Ms. Sokel, and the T.A. Lowery staff for welcoming us into their classrooms. That wraps up October for Rotary Reads. We look forward to our next visit!