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Issue 1-August-2007
FLORIDA
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BREAK WORLD RECORD
 TALLAHASSEE
– Education Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg on May 8, 2007,
announced Guinness World Records™ confirmed that Florida middle school students
successfully broke the record for the “Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously
in Multiple Locations.” The event, Breaking a World Record:
Reading Aloud!, overseen by the Just Read, Florida! office,
highlighted the importance of reading to middle school students. The record
attempt aired via a live public broadcast and Web cast from Disney-MGM Studios
at 11:25 a.m. on September 28, 2006, when 186,054
middle school students statewide read an
excerpt from the book “Peter and the Starcatchers”
written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
“This is an incredible triumph by Florida students and I am proud of
the effort it took to achieve it,” said Commissioner Blomberg. “Breaking this
particular world record earns our students a place in history and reminds them
that reading is an essential part of bringing dreams to life.”
According to an official document sent by Guinness World Records™,
Florida students broke the previous record of 155,528 students throughout the
United Kingdom who read William Wordsworth’s poem “Daffodils,” on March 19,
2004. Copies of the official certificate will be sent to each of the 456
schools that participated in this momentous feat. Guinness World Records™ is
currently considering the record for entry in their annual book.
“This is a phenomenal accomplishment for all of the middle school
students who participated in the record breaking event,” said Just Read,
Florida! Executive Director Dr. Evan Lefsky. “It is a true reflection of the
potential of students in the state of Florida and a credit to the teachers,
principals, district staff and volunteers who made this effort a success.”
Florida’s middle school students have
made significant improvements in reading. Last year, 223,000 more students were
reading on or above grade level compared to 2001, and improvements in middle
school reading tripled that of any previous single year gain. Additionally,
there has been a renewed focus on reading at the middle school level and great
participation in the Department of Education’s Shoot for the
Stars: A Record-Breaking Year for Middle Schools initiative.
Thanks to you and our wonderful students... we made
history!! I am so very proud and appreciative of everyone who participated
in this record breaking event.
Once again.... Thanks for the greatness!
Gizella Alexander
DID YOU KNOW WHICH
ADMINISTRATOR WAS ARTIST?
Glades Middle School has an artist as one of their
vice-principals. Mr. Elieser Siles came to school during the summer,
on his own time, to paint this wonderful mural on the front of our newly
painted school.
Students, who have taken the science department's
Everglade field trips can see how really accurate the various animals scenes
are depicted. You have animals like the Florida Cougar, also known as
the Florida Panther, various Florida Everglades birds like the Pink
Spoonbill, the White Egret, the Florida Water Turkey, also known as the
Anhinga , the Florida Kite and finally the America Alligator - our mascot.
Make sure that you give Mr. Siles - a big THANK YOU!!!
These close up pictures of the mural shows
realistic scenes of our Everglades National Park.
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