LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ -- 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 School No. 2 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐨𝐭𝐚 𝐗𝐢 𝐍𝐮 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐠𝐚 𝐏𝐬𝐢 𝐏𝐡𝐢 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐈𝐧𝐜., 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝟏𝟔𝟎 𝐃𝐫. 𝐒𝐞𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟔, 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.
The donation supports 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐠𝐚 𝐏𝐬𝐢 𝐏𝐡𝐢’𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲, and aligns with the New Jersey Bridge Builder Foundation’s mission to invest in children’s education.
Guest readers Mr. Eric Teel and Mr. John Conkin, representing the New Jersey Bridge Builder Foundation and Iota Xi Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, visited eight classrooms, where 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬.
𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬:
-- Kindergarten Teachers: Ms. Colacitti, Ms. Williams, Ms. Calcagno, and Ms. Squeglia
-- Grade 1 Teachers: Ms. Alba, Ms. Mazula, Ms. Pagan, and Ms. Mustafa
In addition to the books, students also received six backpacks filled with school supplies, generously donated by the New Jersey Bridge Builder Foundation.
Omega Psi Phi’s local chapter, Iota Xi Nu, serves the communities of Linden, Elizabeth, Hillside, Union, Rahway, and Roselle. Chapter President Curtis Humphrey Jr. emphasized the impact of literacy-focused initiatives.
"Reading is the foundation of success, and we are proud to not only provide books but also engage with students directly," Humphrey said. "Our goal is to foster a love of reading that will last a lifetime."
The New Jersey Bridge Builder Foundation, founded by military veterans and law enforcement officers, is dedicated to empowering children through education. Chief Operations Manager Eric Teel highlighted the foundation’s commitment to literacy.
"Our mission is to invest in our country’s greatest resource—our children," Teel said. "Reading to students and providing them with books is one way we can make a lasting impact on their educational journey."
The foundation’s president, Colonel (Ret.) Giles, a 1987 graduate of Linden High School, played a key role in organizing the donation. Though currently based in Atlanta, Giles remains committed to giving back to his hometown.
"Giving back is one of the core principles of our organization," Teel added.
Also in attendance was John Cyrus, a proud Linden alumnus, who expressed excitement about seeing community partnerships benefiting local students.
As part of National Read Across America Month, the event reinforced the importance of fostering literacy at an early age. With Dr. Seuss's books in hand, engaging read-aloud sessions, and essential school supplies, the young students of School No. 2 were inspired to continue their journey as lifelong readers.