Each year, Forestville holds a celebration for its annual Pick a Reading Partner (PARP) program. A team of teachers and staff come together to create a theme to inspire students to read, both inside the walls of the school and outside with their families at home.

“It’s really exciting. The team this year has been extremely enthusiastic,” said Elementary Principal Shauna McMahon.

This past week, as students poured into the Forestville Elementary gym to celebrate the launch of the program, they were greeted with a surprise that resulted in an experience they will remember for years to come.

Jeff Musial from Nickel City Reptiles and Exotic Animals brought several animals to show off to the students. He unveiled them one by one, beginning with a legless lizard he named “Lieutenant Dan.” Next was Fernando, a small desert fox, who Musial said is a fan favorite over nearly three decades in his line of work.

Students are shown reacting to exotic animals on display at an assembly.

Next, he brought out a small crocodile, named Larry, followed by an armadillo named Roomba. Fifth was a black and white lemur, native to the island of Madagascar. Then finally, six students were called up to the front of the gym to help hold an enormous Colombian Boa Constrictor.

Musial, who has appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and the “Today” show, among others, told stories and jokes for over an hour as students and staff admired the animals. While the event was designed for the children, many of the adults were laughing throughout the event at Musial’s jokes.

“I thought it was amazing. He’s hysterical,” said Forestville teacher Kelly Raichel.

Raichel said it was inspiring to hear Musial share his story about how he became inspired as a child by reading books at the library.

“We thought it was really inspiring for the kids,” said Forestville teacher Jennifer Dunn. “He took a real world reading experience and look what he can do now.”

OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Six Forestville Elementary students are shown holding a Columbian Boa Constrictor under the care of Jeff Musial from Nickel City Reptiles and Exotic Animals.

The assembly was held to kick off the school’s annual reading program, which dates back to the late 70s. New York State’s PARP program was developed in 1978 by Sen. James Donovan, with a goal to support a connection between the home and the school to support literacy. PARP formerly stood for “Parents as Reading Partners” before it was recently renamed “Pick a Reading Partner” in 2015 in an effort to be more inclusive.

Forestville’s initiative is centered around 15 minutes a night of reading for five nights a week, or 75 minutes of reading in a week, outside of the classroom. Teachers will also make time for reading in the classroom twice a week for 15 minutes each time.

“It’s always been a fun way to get kids to read,” said Dunn.

Dunn and Raichel took on a leading role in coordinating the event alongside Gary Worosz, a teacher at Forestville Elementary School who has been involved in coordinating the PARP event at Forestville each year since 1991. This year is his 35th year involved with the program, which has been at Forestville for 47 years.

Worosz was instrumental in choosing the theme of this year’s program, “Reading Road Trip USA”, which was chosen to honor the 250th birthday of the United States. Worosz helped create a map on display along the wall of the school to show the progress of students throughout the month.

Pictured is Jeff Musial from Nickel City Reptiles and Exotic Animals, holding a desert fox at an assembly at Forestville Elementary School.

“I really wanted to bring up the idea that we needed to celebrate our country’s birthday,” Worosz said. “We need some patriotism back into our community.”

Other members of the PARP Committee include Sarah Borrello, Annie Borrello, Rachael Clark, Liz Barter, Monique Cleary, Michele Sprague, Krista Hitchcock, and Halie Booth.

As part of the theme, students are encouraged to dress up each Monday. Prompts include outfits in red, white and blue; dress like a tourist; wear Stars and Stripes; dress like an American hero; and wear a comfy travel outfit.

Students also must complete an at-home activity throughout the month — either an American themed diorama or a postcard — to be displayed at school. The school also plans to share some of the projects with Imagine Forestville to be highlighted during the 250th birthday celebration this summer.

“It makes everything that we do here realistic and relevant for the kids,” Dunn said. “It ties it all together so they understand we’re all connected.”

Forestville Elementary Teacher Gary Worosz was instrumental in choosing the theme of Reading Roadtrip USA for PARP 2026 to celebrate the 250th birthday of the U.S.

As part of the event, students are also encouraged to write an essay following the prompt, “What reading means to our family.” One winner will be chosen at the end of the month. All of the students who completed an essay last year were entered in a drawing at this year’s event to decide who would help hold the Boa Constrictor, if they wished. Worosz was proud that two of the students chosen were his students.

Worosz does not take for granted that his school, as small as it is, provides so many opportunities for its students. He said the PARP Committee is lucky to have a budget provided each year specifically designed for the annual event. That is one of many reasons that the school is able to put on a quality event each year.

“It was great. I’m glad it turned out as good as it did,” Worosz said.

The annual PARP celebration is one of Forestville’s biggest events as a school each year. McMahon said that now in her third year at Forestville, she really has started to look forward to the event each year.

“The anticipation of it is awesome. Seeing the kids’ faces, the engagement, the happiness and joy that it brings them to have something at school that is not necessarily solely academic,” McMahon said. “It’s something for them to look forward to and participate in that’s community building and fun.”