On Sunday, October 5, 2025, members of Newtown AYLUS volunteered to host a reading session with elementary schoolers. During this session, they read the book Wonder by R. J. Palacio which was published in 2012 and has a movie rendition. By reading a chapter book like Wonder, the Newtown AYLUS team aimed to help the young readers practice their reading skills and understand the ideas in the book.
Two members helped guide a group of 4 children. They created a nurturing space for young readers to improve their reading skills as they took turns reading aloud. The group was able to get through pages 24 to 44 of the book, reading about the protagonist’s tour of the school and their experience on the first day. The session accomplished the goal of creating a space for young readers to exercise their skills and read more challenging texts with the assistance of AYLUS volunteers when needed.
The event was very successful. The children were able to practice reading and enjoy the book as well. There was noticeable improvement from the last session.
Members who participated were Kylee Guo (event leader) and Rumi Tian. Each contributed an hour of their time.