Read Your Way to Fenway Summer Essay contest winners recognized at August 28 Red Sox game

Boston Public Library’s Read Your Way to Fenway summer essay contest winners enjoyed the magic of Fenway Park on Sunday, August 28 when the Red Sox took on the Kansas City Royals – celebrating the game and their reading accomplishments this summer.

Youth ages 5-17 were encouraged to read a minimum of three books and write an essay about their favorite for the chance to attend the game; 679 kids participated in the program and 473 winners were chosen. The on-field winners, who were part of a pre-game ceremony Sunday night, include Fatuma Mahdi Ahmed – Dudley Branch, Angelina Coral Hernandez – Charlestown Branch, Aayush Patel – Central Library, Zachary Riviello – Parker Hill Branch, Malik Cross – Grove Hall Branch, and Gabriel Custodio from the Uphams Corner Branch.

“I’m extremely proud of our young Bostonians for spending the summer reading and participating in Boston Public Library’s programs. Through their participation in library programs, they are well prepared to start the school year – and there is no better way to end the summer than by spending a night at Fenway Park with the Red Sox,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

“We received hundreds of insightful essays from young people all across Boston and are thrilled to reward their accomplishments with this fun summer activity,” said David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library. “The support of the community and of our critical sponsors allows the Boston Public Library to offer programs supporting the reading and literacy skills our youth need to succeed in school and life.”

In addition to the Read Your Way to Fenway summer essay contest, youth and adults participated in summer reading programs throughout the Boston Public Library system from June through August, engaging in a variety of enriching skill-building programs.

Read Your Way to Fenway is sponsored by John Hancock, The Red Sox Foundation, and The Boston Public Library Foundation.

Pictured above (left to right): Boston Public Library President David Leonard, Boston Public Library Manager of Youth Services Farouqua Abuzeit, Executive Director of the Red Sox Foundation Gena Borson, winners Angelina Coral Hernandez, Aayush Patel, Zachary Riviello, Malik Cross, and Gabriel Custodio. Additional photos are available upon request.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first large free municipal library in the United States, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit bpl.org.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION

The Boston Public Library Foundation is a fundraising arm of the BPL, with a mission to raise private funds for library programs and special projects.  Working closely with the leadership team of the Library, as well as the Board of Trustees, the Foundation has made over 15 grants to the BPL in Fiscal Year 2016, ranging in size from $10,000 to $175,000, to support programs such as the Lowell Lecture Series, Concerts in the Courtyard, Read Your Way to Fenway, Community Learning Center programs, and the upcoming “Celebrating Shakespeare” initiative, among others.