Betances Third-Graders Receive ‘Machines’ For Reading

Our blog had some technical difficulties yesterday so we’re just catching up on a few items.

In case you missed it, here’s a FoxCT video from Betances Early Reading Lab School, where 54 third-graders on Friday received 27 Nook tablets from Whittlesey & Hadley, P.C., the Hartford accounting firm. The donation is intended to help Superintendent Christina Kishimoto’s Third Grade Promise, which pledges that Hartford kindergartners will be reading at grade level by the end of third grade.

One third-grader, Sage Dobson, told FoxCT: “Instead of having a paper book, you can have a machine! How cool is that?” The students’ expressions as they play with the Nooks for the first time …. hilarious.

Marie Bonelli, the firm’s marketing director, sent us this update in an email.

The next step for Whittlesey & Hadley is to keep in touch with Betances and see how the children’s reading levels progress as a result of incorporating NOOK Tablets into their curriculum!  There was discussion of us providing specific books for the school to use as part of their daily teachings.  We’re waiting to review their “wish list.”