As part of its annual Rotary Reads program, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club donated 680 copies of the book “Do You Remember” by Sydney Smith for each child attending Long Neck Elementary School. The Club worked with Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach to purchase the books at cost for a total of $6,460.00.
Each year Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club partners with Long Neck Sunrise Elementary to bring books to each child attending the school. This year’s selection was chosen because of its messaging regarding emotional issues experienced by children that can be hidden to those around them. This is particularly important as part of the school’s initiative to have empathy and exhibit kindness to one another as part of its mission to teach leadership to its student population.
Second grade teacher at Long Neck Elementary, Dr. Meiasha Harris, read the book to an assembly of first, second and third graders and told the children that every day they come to school, they have no idea of what others are feeling on the inside, and that is why each child should strive to be a leader and treat one another with kindness. She explained that even though some of the students might be experiencing difficulties that they don’t want to share, they should know that school is a safe place and an “amazing place” to make new memories.
“We have a very diverse student population,” explains Assistant Principal, Stephen Lovellette. “It is important to us to teach our students acceptance of each other and to treat one another with kindness. The simple messaging of this book that you can replace sad memories with happy ones, despite what happens in life, gives every child hope that things can get better.”
Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club Rotary Reads chair, Sharon Marshall notes, “We are so happy to encourage reading among the students at Long Neck Elementary with our Rotary Reads program, and to be able to partner with the school to couple this effort with life lessons is even better. This year’s selection was a bit more costly than our normal donation, but we believed that the messaging was well worth the price.”