On Sunday, October 19, 2025, members of Newtown AYLUS volunteered to host a reading
session with elementary school students. The group read Wonder by R. J. Palacio, a 2012
novel that was later adapted into a film. By choosing a chapter book like Wonder, the
Newtown AYLUS team hoped to help young students strengthen their reading abilities and
engage more deeply with the story’s themes.
Three volunteers worked with a group of five children, creating a warm and encouraging
environment where everyone took turns reading aloud. During this session, the group
read pages 44 through 60, which described the protagonist’s first day at school as well
as the emotional journey behind his decision to finally cut off the long-kept braid. With
guidance from the AYLUS members, the students were able to tackle the text, develop
fluency, and build confidence as readers.
The event was a great success. Not only did the children enjoy the story, but they also
made noticeable progress compared to the previous session.
Participating members included Rumi Tian (event leader), Kylee Guo, and Celene Chen,
each contributing one volunteer hour.