Centre Avenue Elementary School launched this year's Pick A Reading Partner (PARP) celebration with a special community readers event during the week of Mar. 9.

The event perfectly captured PARP's 2025 theme, Bringing our district together, one story at a time, welcoming familiar faces from across the East Rockaway community into classrooms to read aloud to students. Among the guest readers were Superintendent of Schools Mr. DeTommaso and Centre Avenue Principal Mr. Jack Bixhorn, who shared stories centered on kindness and togetherness.

By opening classroom doors to district leaders and community members, Centre Avenue reinforced the message that reading is a shared experience – one that has the power to connect us all.