Upper Hosts LatinX Summer Reading Program Event

The Upper School hosted its first LatinX Summer Reading Program event. The day started with an assembly with Sergio Mata, the immigrant liaison for Community Action Agency; Mayra Jackson, a paralegal case manager for the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center; Dr. Maria Piombo, the director of the Child and Family Treatment Center at Central Clinic Behavioral Health, and Dr. Megan Nieto, an English professor at Xavier University, talking about their experiences in working in immigration, literature, and mental health. Students then attended workshops diving deeper in the topics of law and immigration, LatinX literature, and serving Cincinnati’s Hispanic community.

Last year, current seniors Grace Dunson, Nathan Walker, and Gabrielle Walker redesigned the summer reading program to make it more multicultural.

“Congratulations to Grace, Gabrielle, and Nathan on this massive accomplishment. When Grace reached out and set up a meeting to discuss her ideas, I could not have imagined the magical, year-long journey that was about to begin,” said Mark Beyreis, chair of the Upper School English department.

Each year, the program will highlight a different culture or identity with each grade reading a different book.