The event held in partnership with Baldwin Park Reads — a new community group made up of retired educators devoted to promoting literacy in Baldwin Park brought together the Tracy Trojan community.
In their debut event, Baldwin Park Reads generously provided every participating family with a copy of Where the Wild Things Are — in English or Spanish — to borrow and read together at home. Students were encouraged to draw a picture of their favorite part of the story, earning them a family ticket to the special screening event held in the school cafeteria.
On the night of the event, families arrived with picnic blankets and lawn chairs, transforming the cafeteria into a cozy theater space. Attendees were treated to popcorn, snacks, and refreshments donated by Baldwin Park Reads as they watched the animated cartoon of Where the Wild Things Are followed by The Lorax, which was raffled off as a prize to a few students.
“We are so thankful for this generous opportunity for our Trojan families to come together and celebrate the joy of reading,” said Tracy Elementary Principal Dr. Laura Rodriguez. “It was heartwarming to see students excited about books, surrounded by their siblings, grandparents, aunts, and parents.”
Tracy Elementary is proud to be a Dual Language school, and Baldwin Park Reads ensured the event was inclusive by offering Spanish-language editions of the book.
BPUSD Teacher on Special Assignment and Baldwin Park Reads member Jennie Wideman shared the group’s mission: “We are passionate about giving back to the Baldwin Park community, and it brings us so much joy to help foster a love of literacy at such a young age.”
Baldwin Park Reads hopes to bring more events and literacy opportunities to local schools and families in the near future. The group is currently seeking new members and welcomes anyone in the Baldwin Park area who is interested in supporting literacy and learning.