Saint Raymond School literally 'reads to succeed'

With over 85% of its students participating in the first St. Raymond School Read-A-Thon, the school raised more than $24,000 for school technology needs.

St. Raymond School students enthusiastically took to their books and over a two week period logged more than 123,000 minutes of reading. Family and friends supported the students along the way with encouragement and financial support.

Parishioners, community leaders and former/current school staff showed their support by reading their favorite stories to the students, either by a video recording or outside in-person during Storywalk, which had students follow a story station-to-station along a walking path outdoors.

The school librarian, Margaret Puszka, with her positivity and love of reading, helped promote the project, got the community and staff involved and created a Storywalk fun event for the students. It was a fantastic way to promote reading.

With the funds raised, St. Raymond School will renew digital technology subscriptions and buy at least one -possibly two - iPad charging carts equipped with 30 iPads each.

A special thanks to Puszka, Sally Murphy (library volunteer), Deacon John Lorbach, Don Burke, Mount Prospect Fire Chief John Dolan, Mount Prospect Police Officer Greg Sill, and Carol Capra and Andrea Johnson, Mount Prospect Public Library librarians, Pat Lossau, Pat Kramer and the many St Raymond School staff for sharing their reading talents with students.