Panther Valley Elementary students and front-line health care workers recently showed support for each other while participating in an international reading event.

As part of World Read Aloud Day, Dr. Joanne Calabrese recorded a virtual read along for a first-grade class.

In exchange, the students in turn created cards to encourage St. Luke’s health care workers as they work through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was very important to me that we let the health care workers know how much we appreciate everything they are doing,” said Kara Krajnak, a first-grade teacher.

Millions of students across 173 countries around the world take part in World Read Aloud Day each year. Its purpose is to highlight the importance of sharing stories.

Calabrese read the students a book called “Lucy’s Mask,” which is about a girl who wants to be a superhero and a mom who says she can by wearing her mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Her own son, James, read along in her video.

Calabrese was happy to volunteer when she heard about the event. She said that reading has always been very important to her own development, especially because her mom was her grade-school librarian.

“Reading is accessible to all ages, and allows individuals to grow in so many ways,” she said.

This is the second year Panther Valley first-graders have participated in the event. Last year Carbon County Animal Shelter Director Tom Connors visited them for a read along.

This year, Krajnak decided to reach out to St. Luke’s Miners Campus because she and several of her students have relatives working in the health care system.

The students wrote notes of encouragement to the health care workers. In her note, student Isabella Howton thanked Calabrese for her story, and all they are doing to keep everyone healthy.

Calabrese said that the cards will bring smiles to the health care heroes providing care everyday during the pandemic.

“Kudos to Ms. Krajnak and PV for continuing to inspire young minds in creative ways and reminding all of us of the wonderful world reading allows us to explore,” she said.