William Floyd Middle School sixth-grade English Language Arts students visited Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School as part of a “reading buddies” activity, according to an April 9 announcement. The event paired middle schoolers from Ms. Shannon McHugh’s classes with second-grade students at the elementary school, where they read books together and built new friendships through shared reading experiences.
The initiative aimed to foster leadership, social, and emotional skills among older students while helping younger children develop confidence in their reading abilities. Activities included middle schoolers reading aloud—some even in Spanish for bilingual learners—and elementary students sharing their favorite books with their new mentors.
Ms. McHugh said she was inspired to start this program alongside Nathaniel Woodhull principal Dr. Heather Murillo because of her own positive experience as a William Floyd student participating in similar activities years ago. Dr. Murillo highlighted the impact of the event by sharing feedback from participants: “It was such a positive experience for our students, and a true joy to welcome back some of our former Woodhull students in this new role as leaders,” said Dr. Murillo. “Seeing them connect with our younger learners and foster a love for reading was incredibly special.”
The William Floyd School District serves more than 9,400 students across ten schools that provide education from kindergarten through twelfth grade according to the official website. The district has also been recognized for alumni contributions in scholarships, education leadership, and community service according to the official website. It operates several schools including high schools, academies, middle schools, and elementary schools according to the official website.
In addition to academic initiatives like “reading buddies,” William Floyd School District has earned accolades for its music program—ranked among top communities for music education—and its business department was named Department of the Year by the Business Teachers Association of New York State according to the official website. The district emphasizes collaboration among students, parents, educators, staff members and community partners to support student growth across intellectual, emotional, aesthetic and physical domains within a supportive environment according to the official website.
Looking ahead, both teachers and families hope that activities like these will continue fostering connections between older and younger students while promoting literacy throughout all grade levels.
