NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 20, 2019—The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the City of Norfolk and Norfolk Public Schools have once again teamed up to host the Read with MEac elementary and middle school reading contest sponsored by TowneBank and Dominion Energy.
Read with MEac is a citywide reading contest that encourages students in Norfolk Public Schools to read as much as possible. Participants’ reading progress was monitored through the Renaissance Star Reading program from September through earlier this month.
“The partnership with the MEAC is invaluable to Norfolk Public Schools,” Dr. Melinda J. Boone, Norfolk Public Schools Superintendent, said. “As literacy is one of the primary focus areas of the NPS Redesign, the Read with MEac contest is a fun and exciting way to engage learners. Each year, students not only enjoy participating in this great reading opportunity, but they really get motivated by the friendly competition. We are thankful to the MEAC and TowneBank for the support they have provided over the last 11 years.”
The reading contest, organized by MEAC Senior Associate Commissioner and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) Sonja O. Stills and MEAC Director of Corporate Partnerships Patricia Easley, along with the member institutions’ senior woman administrators, is aimed at encouraging education and promoting the love of reading to students. The program is in its 11th year.
“I am thrilled that the MEAC is able to partner with the Norfolk Public School system on the Read with MEac reading program,” said MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas. “Since my tenure as Commissioner, this is a program that best exemplifies the MEAC’s commitment to academic achievement within our community. Once again, I commend the students, teachers, principals and parents on their accomplishment. In addition, I want to thank Dr. Boone for her support and encouragement in getting her students to read more.”
The MEAC will recognize the winning school and top student reader in a celebration on Tuesday, March 12 at the school.
The winners, announced today, are:
First-Place School
Larchmont Elementary, $2,000 prize
Second-Place School
Suburban Park Elementary, $1,500 prize
Third-Place School
Taylor Elementary, $500 prize
Winning Class
Teacher Elizabeth McOsker, 3rd grade, Larchmont Elementary, $1,000 prize
Top Male and Female Readers
Eleanor Wernly, 2nd grade, Larchmont Elementary
James Nelson, 2nd grade, Taylor Elementary
Esme’ Courson, 3rd grade, Taylor Elementary
Elijah Wittkower, 3rd grade, Ghent School
Cassandra Hood, 4th grade, Larrymore Elementary
James Williams, 4th grade, Richard Bowling Elementary
Iris Joyner, 5th grade, Larchmont Elementary
Luke Shomaker, 5th grade, Taylor Elementary
Isabella Stone, 6th grade, Ghent School
Liam Fender, 6th grade, Azalea Gardens Middle
Keziah Shack, 7th grade, Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
Ian Burchfield, 7th grade, Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
Laura Strickland, 8th grade, Blair Middle
Adam Akins, 8th grade, Academy for Discovery at Lakewood
Top Male and Female Most Improved
Rion Legendre, 2nd grade, Granby Elementary
Serenity Nunn, 2nd grade, Ingleside Elementary
Brandon Moore, 3rd grade, Sherwood Forest Elementary
Hedy Santo-Kilgore, 3rd grade, Academy for Discovery at Lakewood
Yasmin Myrie, 4th grade, Suburban Park Elementary
Oliver Bowman-Daas, 4th grade, Academy for Discovery at Lakewood
Claire Chandler, 5th grade, Calcott Elementary
Adam Bani Hani, 5th grade, Larchmont Elementary
Crystal Vazquez-Guevara, 6th grade, Crossroads School
Vincent Lam, 6th grade, Azalea Gardens Middle
Sahniya Moise, 7th grade, Blair Middle
Anthony Izzo, 7th grade, Blair Middle
Laila Sultani, 8th grade, Academy for Discovery at Lakewood
Jamare Freeman, 8th grade, Ruffner Academy
For more information on the 2019 MEAC Basketball Tournament, including brackets, ancillary events, tickets and travel information, visit
www.MEAChoops.com.
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) begins its 48th year of intercollegiate competition heading into the 2018-19 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of 12 outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Bethune-Cookman University, Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Savannah State University and South Carolina State University.