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Rachael Caretti, 9, a third-grader at Bennetts Valley Elementary, is shown with her 2006 Dell Inspirion laptop, which she was awarded as the top winner in a regional reading contest.
At age 9, Rachael Caretti's commitment to reading paid off as she was named the winner of a regional reading contest.
With the support of her parents, Jane and Arnie of Weedville, Rachael was the top prize winner in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series Checkin' Out Reading Club contest, earning a 2006 Dell Inspirion laptop computer.
Rachael's reading achievements were recognized in January as she and her family were guests at the MACS annual banquet.
Based out of Indiana , Pa. , MACS racing circuit is owned by the Geesey brothers and is entering its second decade of operation. The series has established itself as one of the oldest sanctioning bodies still under the same ownership.
As part of the MACS Junior Racer's Club, the reading program is designed to encourage children and their families to read regularly to improve reading fluency, decoding skills, vocabulary development and comprehension, according to Jeff and Regina Geesey, program founders.
While Jeff acts as secretary/treasurer of the series, his brothers are also involved as Andy is the president and Matt the vice president.
Rachael found out about the program through her dad while he researched the series' Web site. Arnie said a cousin of the family, Mike Balzano, races in the series.
"Mike does exceptionally well and the kids are race fans. We take them to a few races a year," Arnie said.
As an avid reader Rachael's favorite books are mysteries, particularly the "Goosebumps" series. Her dedication is evident, as each morning she wakes up early to read before going to school as a third-grader at Bennetts Valley Elementary.
"She put a lot of work and effort into it on her own," Arnie said regarding the contest.
While in school, Rachael participates in the accelerated reading program. Whether in or out of school, some of her other favorites are Judy Jones books and the "Boxcar Children" series.
According to a press release from MACS, Rachael's statistics include a total of 18,050 pages read. This is equivalent to reading 8,449 minutes or 140 hours, 49 minutes. This translates to reading 3.5 hours a week for 40 weeks.
Rachael's mom Jane recently instituted a new house rule that for every hour of television they watch, the Caretti children have to spend one hour reading. Arnie joked that Rachael has earned a few hours of TV time.
Outside of school, Rachael's favorite activities include skateboarding and swimming, among others.
When asked about her new laptop, Rachael said she shares it with her two siblings: Rebecca, 10, and Isaac, 7. While she may not be using it to write research papers yet, Rachael enjoys accessing webkinz.com, a children's Web site.
Acting as a catalyst to start the reading program is that both Geesey’s are educators: Regina is a special education teacher and Jeff is a welding instructor.
"We feel young people need to be involved in the racing industry and this is one way of tapping into their interests," Regina said.
"We believe in the value of a good, solid reading foundation," Jeff said.
The Geesey's started the program four years ago, shortly after the No Child Left Behind legislation was introduced by President George W. Bush.
Though only three winners have been named throughout the duration of the program, the Geesey’s are hoping the program starts to catch on
throughout the area.
Regina said each year the series' champion and car owner get involved by purchasing a computer for the program's winner. This year, Rachael's prize was furnished by Barry Klinedinst, car owner of MACS champion Jason Covert.
She said this allows for a connection between the entities involved. Many times the youngster and champion stay in contact with one another even after the series concludes.
The club is not the only effort the Geesey’s have undertaken to promote reading. At every race, in the apparel trailer, books are available free of charge to junior racers of all ages. These books are often donated to the series or are purchased at book fairs by the Geesey’s or car owners.
"We want to encourage reading as both a family activity and as an individual," Regina said.
In addition to Rachael's prize, a second-place prize of a $100 gift certificate to Circuit City was awarded to 13-year-old Ryan VanSickle, formerly of Morgantown , W.Va. , now residing in Indiana .
The Geesey’s are also contemplating hosting an essay contest which they are currently trying to get off the ground. Regina said the essay questions would be tailored to the writing criteria currently required on school PSSA tests. In the meantime, the questions would still be relevant to racing.
Also, JRC members are invited to enter a bookmark contest. The winner will have their design replicated on bookmarks distributed to all youngsters at MACS races.
According to Jeff, there were 100 Junior Racer's Club members in 2006. This number has fluctuated between 50 and 111, though it has continued to grow in the past several years.
Rachael has already recruited several of her friends to participate in the program next year.
Additional information about MACS JRC Checkin’ Out Reading Club can be found at www.macsracing.com.
Written by Amy Cherry, St. Marys Daily Press, St. Marys, PA |
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