Office of Assemblyman Luis Seplveda

District Office: 1973 Westchester Ave, Bronx NY Phone: 718-931-8620

Albany Office: Room 432, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248 Phone: 518-455-5102

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Thomas Musich 201-315-2295
Breakfast Ceremony at Bronx Zoo Honors More than 50 Young Learners Who
Completed Assemblyman Luis Seplvedas Annual Summer Reading Challenge
Pancakes (and the works) were followed by the awarding of certificates by elected officials and
the UFT to commemorate the students appetite for learning and drive to succeed

More than 50 local elementary school students in grades three through five were
honored on Oct. 17th for their appetite for learning and their drive to succeed at a
ceremony and breakfast held at the Bronx Zoo. The annual ceremony is the culmination
of Assemblyman Luis Seplvedas Summer Reading Challenge, which promotes

reading as the underpinning of academic success. All of the young learnerhonorees met or exceeded the goal of reading 15 minutes or more on each of at
least 40 days over the summer.
I thank the parents and students for braving the cold and coming out to celebrate their
outstanding accomplishment, Seplveda said. Reading, he continued, is the
pathway to academic accomplishment and the best vehicle for young people to stretch
their imaginations and grow their curiosity in all spheres from literature to math, from
science to the arts.

Seplveda was joined by a senior representative of the United Federation of Teachers

Bronx delegation and also by Congressman Jos Serrano; State Senators Jeff Klein,
Ruben Diaz, and Gustavo Rivera; and Councilmember Ritchie Torres.
Each honoree received a certificate from Seplveda, from Congressman Serrano,

from their State Senator, and from Councilmember Torres.

We cannot underestimate the power of reading, Seplveda said. Developing the
habit of and passion for reading early in life broadens young minds, nurtures intellectual

growth and creativity, and puts kids on a trajectory for success, in school and
throughout their lives.
Noting that a number of the students had also participated in prior years, Seplveda
said his office will do everything we can to encourage and engage more families to
have their children participate in future years.
A raffle and the handing out of prizes followed the presentation of the awards. The event
was sponsored by the Urban Health Plan, Khans Tutorial, Parkchester Medical Group,
and the Parkchester Baptist Church.
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