IN Penn Hills Summer 2014 | Page 37

McKeespor t Penn Hills P ity of Mc SC C E N N HI L L S K HOOL eesportDI STRIews T N N C PENN HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT SchoolBig Read Closing with CCAC President ews The Big Reading-Language Penn Hills High School held the Big Read event on March 20 in the new high school library. Major Edward Dice, a graduate of Penn Hills High School spoke at the event about the book, The Things They Carried, by author Tim O’Brien. Major Dice talked about the things he has carried during his time in the military and encouraged students to be proud of their country. His presentation helped students to connect the novel to the real world. A poster contrasted his experience in the Iraq War with the Vietnam War in which Tim O’Brien served. One important similarity between the two soldiers was that O’Brien and Dice were both injured in battle and received the Purple Heart. The Penn Hills NJROTC introduced Dice at the event and the Video Production students filmed the event. Mrs. Coleman, the school librarian, was instrumental in helping put together the Big Read event. It truly ignited a spark, inspiring kids to read and will inspire even bigger reading events in the future. Penn Hills | Summer 2014 | icmags.com 35