To further engage sixth grade students in reading, Westhampton Beach Middle School is participating in a global read aloud. The initiative is asking students to read “The Bridge Home” by Padma Venkatraman and engage in activities related to the book along with their peers around the world. Already, the sixth graders have made virtual connections through the read aloud sessions with students in Canada, California, Virginia and Massachusetts. They are scheduled to meet the author via Skype in November.