LONG BEACH, NY. — Lido Elementary first graders got to help some older students with their literary efforts this week, meeting with Long Beach High School seniors to discuss ideas for children’s books in an assignment that district officials said was designed to inspire creativity, collaboration and a love of reading.
Seniors in Maria Hartmann’s English class met with first graders via zoom, district officials said, to discuss their favorite books and learn what the first graders loved reading about the most. For high school students currently in the process of writing original children’s books, district officials said the meeting provided “valuable insight into the interests, humor and imaginations” of the children who might someday read their books.
Whether those interests were in magical tales of friendship and heroism, adventurous animals or something in between, district officials said it was meaningful guidance for the high schoolers.
“By bringing together students at different stages of their educational journeys, the initiative highlights the importance of literacy, creativity, and shared learning experiences,” Lido Elementary librarian Tara Salvador said.