Valley Stream District 30’s Shaw Avenue School kicked off its PARP program on Jan. 30. An acronym for Pick a Reading Partner, PARP is an initiative that intends to instill a love of reading in students they will retain for the rest of their lives. It’s headed by the New York State PTA and encourages parents/guardians to read with their children to foster an excitement for literacy.

Donning headwear that represented Dr. Seuss’s “The Cat in the Hat,” Shaw Avenue Principal Alejandro Rivera and Assistant Principal Christopher Colarossi welcomed students for a school-wide assembly and explained the significance of the week and program.

“Today is about coming together to embrace what reading is all about,” Mr. Rivera said.

Mr. Rivera and Mr. Colarossi discussed their favorite books and then showed a video that featured staff members throughout the building who did the same. Among the popular literary selections were Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go,” Drew Daywalt’s “The Day the Crayons Quit” and “The Day the Crayons Came Back,” and Margaret Wise Brown’s “Goodnight Moon.”

The gathering culminated with the game, “Let’s Make a Deal,” in which three students earned prizes of books and school supplies.

Shaw Avenue’s PARP activities will continue through Feb. 10 and support the district’s “Let’s Move” initiative. Students are encouraged to read at least 20 minutes a day to get to the finish line. Their challenge is underway, and they’re logging their times as miles to help their class teams achieve the most minutes. Other highlights include a “Shoes on the Move” creativity contest, a book swap event and an awards night.