Shown in the photo, Copiague Board of Education President Laura Gavey reads Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to first- and fourth-grade students at Great Neck Road Elementary School during Jumpstart’s Read for the Record. On Oct. 8, students from Great Neck Road Elementary School in Copiague joined children across the globe in reading Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar in order to break a world record for the largest shared reading experience during Jumpstart’s Read for the Record.

To help in the quest to break the record, intermediate students were paired with primary students and with assistance from guest readers, including Board of Education President Laura Gavey and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Kathleen Bannon, read the book aloud in the classroom and then collaborated on an activity to depict their favorite scenes from the book through drawings and short essays. The worksheet was then displayed in the hallways of the school to create their own Great Neck Road Caterpillar.

Shown in the photo, fifth- and second-grade students at Great Neck Road Elementary School in Copiague participate in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record with assistance from Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Kathleen Bannon. “Jumpstart understands that reading aloud with children lays the groundwork for strong literacy skills and future success in school and in life,” said Assistant Principal Amanda Lowry.

The Great Neck Road reading department organized the event and former student observer and current Hofstra University student Thomas Braustein donated the books for the kindergarten classes.