“Kick it up and read” – that was the theme of the day’s festivities as the Ben Carson Reading Room opened on Friday, October 12, 2012 at Clemente Martinez Elementary School in Houston, Texas. The ceremony “kicked off” with a karate demonstration where students were challenged to exercise both their bodies and their minds. Next on the agenda, two students shared their essays covering the topic of “what reading means to me.” Immediately following the essay readers, students took the Readers Pledge – vowing to spend time reading on a daily basis. The day’s ceremony concluded with a prerecorded message from Dr. Carson and the cutting of the ribbon – officially opening the room for all students to enjoy.
Through the generosity of The Hearst Foundations, three Ben Carson Reading Rooms are now open in the Houston Independent School District: Clemente Martinez Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, and Looscan Elementary.
