On Saturday, November 1, 2025, members of Newtown AYLUS dedicated their time to
hosting a community reading session for local elementary school students. For this event,
the volunteers selected Wonder by R. J. Palacio, a well known 2012 novel that was later
adapted into a popular film. By choosing a meaningful chapter book rather than a short,
simple story, the Newtown AYLUS team aimed to challenge young readers, strengthen their
literacy skills, and encourage them to think more deeply about the themes presented in the
text.
Three volunteers worked closely with a small group of five children, creating a warm,
patient, and supportive atmosphere in which everyone was encouraged to participate. Each
child took turns reading aloud, allowing them to practice their fluency while also staying
engaged with the storyline.
During this session, the group covered pages 82 through 102, which describe the story of Via, the
protagonist’s sister, and her view of the story. This includes when she first met August and her first day
of high school. It also describes how she views her family as a sort of galaxy or cosmos, with August
as the sun and the rest of them as planets orbiting him. With encouragement and guidance from the
AYLUS volunteers, the children were able not only to understand the plot, but also to discuss the
emotions and challenges the character faced.
The event proved to be very successful. The students showed visible improvement in their
confidence and reading ability compared to the previous session, and many of them
expressed enthusiasm about continuing the story in future sessions. Their enjoyment of the
novel, combined with noticeable academic growth, made the day especially rewarding for
everyone involved.
Participating members included Kylee Guo (event leader), Rumi Tian, and Ryan He, each
contributing one volunteer hour.