Lynbrook South Middle School students involved in the school’s Global Read Aloud program recently raised $600 for a new Power Through Scholarship, to give to a graduating senior from Lynbrook High School’s Class of 2019.

The program, which is new to Lynbrook South Middle School this year, allows students in grades 6-8 to volunteer their time during their lunch periods to reflect on social-emotional learning across the globe through literature and connections with students from other parts of the world. 

About 40 students, along with library media specialist Jennifer Wasielesky, read “Refugee,” by Alan Gratz, during the program. “Refugee” focuses on three children’s lives from three different time periods and parts of the world. By the end of the book, their worlds collide. The book is a work of historical fiction, however many of the characters are based on real people. While reading the book, South Middle School students connected with students in Greece through Skype to discuss the literature and different cultures. The book and Skype session inspired the South Middle School students to pay it forward and create a scholarship for someone in the Lynbrook community who has shown great strength, courage and determination through their hard work.

To raise money for the scholarship, Mrs. Wasielesky and the students hosted a two-day bake sale and then deliberated on what the new scholarship should be called. Together, they formed the Power Through Scholarship which will be presented by Lynbrook South Middle School eighth graders Caitlin Melaram and Ryan Donovan on May 29 during Lynbrook High School’s Senior Awards Night. According to Mrs. Wasielesky, Global Read Aloud hopes to continue the scholarship for years to come.