Morris Street Students Rewarded for Reading Challenge

Students atwill receive backpacks, books and other goodies today because they took a reading challenge dating back to October 2011.

Back in October, Danbury's Morris Street School's pre-school program, part of the school readiness program, won a grant from Learning Through Art, a Cincinnati-based non-profit corporation. The grant supports early-childhood reading in urban and rural areas. The money for this grant came from the Pitney Bowes Foundation for $24,950. The money was divided between 20 classrooms in Danbury, Bridgeport and Stamford.

Wilma Holmes Tootle, the national chairman for Links to Success, told about 40 three- to five-year-olds in October they'd have a mission between then and today.

"What you have to do in the challenge is read 10 books," said Tootle, after herself having read "The Flea's Sneeze," to the children a few seconds earlier. "The three people who read the most books will win a prize."

"Do you know Toys R Us," Tootle asked the children, and she got a resounding "Yes," from the children. That's even easier than asking about Disney World.

The three top prizes come from Toys R Us.

Shuana Tucker-Sims, Ph.D., is the director of adult and continuing education in Danbury, as well as the president of Fairfield County Links, which is providing the program Books Alive! For Kids, a national literacy partner of Links to Success: Children Achieving Excellence.

Tucker-Sims said the Fairfield County Links will provide the students with certificates, backpacks and books for summer reading today.