Congratulations to the talented Waterbury high school students who participated in The Big Read Art and Essay Contests. Many thanks to the teachers and supervisors for your support as well.

Essay Contest:
1^st Place: Carin Bernard, Crosby High School
2^Nd Place: Stephanie Mable, Wilby High School
3^rd Place: Melissa Cyr, Wilby High School

Art Contest:
1^st Place: Deanna Cruz, Kennedy High School
2^Nd Place: Chris Duran, Wilby High School
3^rd Place: Darren Parkmond, Wilby High School

Contest winners join Emmett McSweeney, Director of the Silas Bronson Library, at The Big Read closing celebration on November 6, 2008:
L to R: Stephanie Mable, Wilby HS, 2^nd Place Essay; Emmett McSweeney; Melissa Cyr, Wilby HS, 3^rd Place Essay; Deanna Cruz, Kennedy HS, 1^st Place Art.

1^st Place: Deanna Cruz, Kennedy High School

2^nd Place: Chris Duran, Wilby High School

3^rd Place: Darren Parkmond, Wilby High School

Please note the change in date: Fahrenheit 451: The Play at Thomaston High School has been rescheduled to December 5 and 6 at 8:00pm and December 7 at 2:00pm. Call the Thomaston Opera House box office for ticket information: 860-283-6250

The Silas Bronson Library in conjunction with twenty local organizations will sponsor a month long series of programs to promote the Big Read. The featured book is Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. This venture promotes community engagement through literary activities, any member of the community can participate by coming to the Bronson Library to check out a copy of Fahrenheit 451. 

"The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. It brings the transformative power of literature into the lives of its citizens. A 2004 NEA report, Reading at
Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, identified a critical decline in reading for pleasure among American adults. The Big Read aims to address this issue directly by providing citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities"