In an ongoing effort to combat illiteracy and further the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., New Jersey Secretary of State Regena Thomas visited four Hudson County schools last week to read to students from a book called Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport.
Thomas visited the Harry L. Bain School in West New York, Roosevelt Elementary School in Union City, Public School No. 17 in Jersey City and Midtown Community Elementary School in Bayonne.
The readings are part of a state program called King Reads. According to state officials, it’s designed to encourage students to become strong readers and to share the lessons and legacy of King with a new generation.
The New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission was established in 1989 to forward King’s legacy.
The group of about 50 third graders at the Harry L. Bain School in West New York last week seemed familiar with King as a historical figure.
‘Means a lot’
“This really means a lot to us to have the Secretary of State read to you,” said Harry L. Bain School Principal Sharon R. Johnson in a pre-event interview. “We were lucky enough to have been selected. It’s also important that she’s reading about Martin Luther King. It shows that the dream lives on.”
Johnson was quick to point out the diverse collection of educators that were present in the mini-gym of the Harry L. Bain school.
Said Johnson, “Our schools in West New York really show true diversity. King’s legacy is in practice here. Just look around at our staff here. We have two Jewish teachers, a Latina teacher, an African-American principal.”
Arriving to the cheers of the assembled throng of children, Thomas entered the gymnasium sporting a pair of crutches necessitated by a broken foot. Thomas’ larger-than-life personality immediately won over the children. Looking on from the sidelines was West New Board Secretary Ed Bienkowski, who commented, “This is a great thing for the kids to have a dignitary come and spend time with them. It gives the kids a sense of importance and pride.”
The Harry L. Bain School in West New York was one of a handful of schools to be chosen to participate in the King Reads program. According to state officials, over 300 school districts state-wide applied to the program. Districts were chosen on a first-come first serve basis.
According to Secretary of State Thomas, it is a priority of the McGreevey administration to concentrate the program on Northern New Jersey, Hudson County included.
“I was shocked by how many requests came in,” said Thomas. “There are other cabinet members out there helping us get the message out.” Added Thomas, “It was great to look around this room and see all the kids from different backgrounds. Union City and West New York are models of diversity.”
Thomas held the children’s attention deftly and read from the King book, showing them the pictures in the book as she read. After she finished, she opened the floor to questions from the students. Some of the questions had a “Kids Say the Darndest Things” vibe to them, with one youngster interested in whether King was shot in the head.
At one point, Thomas asked the students what it was the Secretary of State did. The puzzled looks on the faces of some of the teachers indicated that many of them didn’t know, either. The suspense was broken when Thomas answered that the Secretary of Stare is officially “the keeper of records” for the state. However, the actual duties of the job are much broader in scope, and Thomas’ visit is an indication of that.
Perhaps the most poignant part of the visit was when Thomas asked the assembled crowd of children what Martin Luther King did for society. Various children responded with cries of “He helped us to be free,” “He taught us that color doesn’t matter,” and “He taught us liberty.”