Last September 11th was a special day. Not only was it the first time that September 11th was commemorated as a National Day of Remembrance and Service, but for a class of Seattle 2nd graders it was an opportunity to meet a special someone and experience the joy of reading first hand.
As mentioned in an earlier post, this September 11th over 50 Holland America volunteers came together to help Communities In Schools sort thousands of pounds of donated school supplies collected throughout the summer at various “Stuff the Bus” events. Not only did they do a wonderful job, but they got an extra hand from actor Tobey Maguire, his wife and their two beautiful children.
What we did not report, was after helping to sort and stuff backpacks, Tobey Maguire and family decided to give a special 2nd grade class a surprise of a lifetime.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ErjLr8d7o]
Through secret arrangements, Tobey arrived at a local Seattle elementary school to read a couple of books to one lucky and un-suspecting class of 2nd graders. As soon as he walked in the class, one could feel the energy and excitement radiating off of the completely surprised kids. The kids all sat down in the front of the classroom to listen to Tobey read them one book. However, after one book the kids started to chant “More books, more books,” and Tobey readily agreed to read another story. As he read, the kids listened attentively and actively participated by reading along with Tobey in certain parts of the stories.
As Tobey said goodbye, it was impossible to find one kid in that classroom without a huge smile on his or her face. It was a once of a lifetime experience for these kids, not only to meet someone they admire but to have the experience of reading and learning made into a fun and unique opportunity.
Thank you to Tobey Maguire and his family for coming to visit these kids and teaching them the lesson that reading is fun, exciting and something even Spiderman loves to do.
