Two Croton Students Included In Bestselling Author's Book

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- Two Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School students, Emma Campanella and Grace Reyer, were recently honored at the Croton-Harmon Board of Education meeting for having their handwritten precepts published in a book by New York Times best-selling author R.J. Palacio.

From left, Board of Education President Giuseppina Miller, Pierre Van Cortlandt student Grace Reyer, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edward Fuhrman, student Emma Campanella, teacher Dawn Giordano and teacher Lauren Scollins.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

by Alesha Hanson

10/14/2014 5:00 a.m.

Campanella and Reyer received notes from the author herself a few months ago congratulating them on being selected for inclusion in "365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts."

“The sixth-grade classes have used her first book, 'Wonder,' as a class read-aloud for the past three years,” said teacher Dawn Giordano. “It is an amazing book to start the year with. It pulls on our heartstrings and is a beautifully written story.”

Palacio’s new book was published over the summer and includes a precept for each day of the year. The author asked students from around the country to submit their own precepts for consideration.

Reyer and Campanella had their quotes chosen from a pool of about 1,200 submissions and are published alongside famous names such as Anne Frank, Martin Luther King Jr., Confucius and Sappho.

Campanella’s precept, which appears along the date of June 25, reads: “Sail the ocean even when others stay on the shore.”

Reyer’s May 7 precept says: “Follow your dreams. It may be a long journey, but the path is right in front of you.”

Board President Giuseppina Miller and Superintendent of Schools Edward Fuhrman were among those who personally congratulated the seventh-graders.

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