AUBURN - Kaylei Gleason's smile was infectious and her eager joy could barely be contained as she sat down at a little table in the children's room of Seymour Library.
Glenn Gaston / Special to The Citizen
Kaylei Gleason holds a copy of ‘In a People House,' on Wednesday at Seymour Library, in Auburn. It is the 500th book she has read in order to meet a challenge from her parents to receive a Nintendo DS game system for Christmas.
Kaylei Gleason holds a copy of ‘In a People House,' on Wednesday at Seymour Library, in Auburn. It is the 500th book she has read in order to meet a challenge from her parents to receive a Nintendo DS game system for Christmas.
It was about an act that has become a routine habit for the 7-year-old Herman Avenue Elementary School first grader over the past several months, but on Wednesday afternoon it was a special day for Gleason.
The afternoon marked the reading of the 500th book Gleason promised her parents she would read if she could have a Nintendo DS for Christmas.
While Gleason is an avid reader, her parents were a little surprised and even a little skeptical if she would follow through on the agreement.
“She asked us,” Kaylei's father, Vin, said. “I said 100 books, but that didn't seem like enough so her mom (Jamie) said 200 and that still didn't seem like enough so Kaylei said 500 and we said OK. I wasn't really sure if she would make it to 500, I thought maybe she would read a few, maybe a 100 or so and that would be all, but she made it and we are really proud of her.”
Gleason said that for her, this seemed like a simple enough bargain to help her earn her way to that new Nintendo.
“I love to read,” Gleason said. “It makes you smarter.”
Once the terms of the deal were decided, Gleason began reading tirelessly in September, averaging as many as four books a day at one point. Gleason's dedication and commitment isn't too surprising considering the family she comes from. Gleason was born with a rare kidney disorder and her brother, Braeden, was also born with medical problems. Both have overcome their conditions.
Their strength inspired Vin to begin Run 4 Life as a means of raising funds for places like the Golisano Children's hospital in Syracuse that helped the Gleason family through their early medical obstacles.
In July, Vin completed a 26-mile run from Auburn to the hospital; this commitment may have rubbed off on his daughter.
“Maybe she has seen us do this kind of thing,” Vin said. “She has grown up seeing us set goals and meeting them, so maybe that is where she got the idea and what has helped make her so dedicated to doing what she sets out to do.”
Kaylei said that she has an extensive collection of books at home, but to reach her goal she spent a lot of time at the library and even got her school involved.
“It started as something at home,” Vin said. “But it grew to get the whole community involved. I e-mailed her teacher, Mrs. Coffin, and she would send Kaylei home and tell us what books she read at school. It was really nice how so many people got involved in what she was trying to do.”
At home, at school or in the library, Gleason never tired of reading.
“I like to read a lot,” Gleason said. “I liked to read at home with my dad. Sometimes he'd read a page and then I'd read a page. I like to read with my family a lot.”
Sitting at the small children's table in the reading room, Kaylei - along with her friend, Lauren DeBois, and her mother, father and brother - finished her 500th book, none other than Dr. Seuss' “In A People House.”
“I really like Dr. Seuss books,” Gleason said. “They are really funny.”
To celebrate the occasion, Gleason was presented with a cake emblazoned with the No. 500 as well as balloons from the library.
And the Gleasons had a gift for the library, presenting a complete list of books that were read that will be hung in the children's room.
As excited as Gleason was, her family was equally proud of her.
“I think it is great,” Vin said. “It is one of those things that you don't know how you will ever get through it, but here we are. I'm really impressed and really proud with her.”
Even now that she has reached her goal and will have a Nintendo waiting for her on Christmas morning, Gleason has no intentions of slowing down her reading habits and was already investigating the shelves looking for book No. 501.
“I really want to play Cats on my Nintendo,” Gleason said. “But I'm going to keep reading a lot. I just love to read and I love books.”
The afternoon marked the reading of the 500th book Gleason promised her parents she would read if she could have a Nintendo DS for Christmas.
While Gleason is an avid reader, her parents were a little surprised and even a little skeptical if she would follow through on the agreement.
“She asked us,” Kaylei's father, Vin, said. “I said 100 books, but that didn't seem like enough so her mom (Jamie) said 200 and that still didn't seem like enough so Kaylei said 500 and we said OK. I wasn't really sure if she would make it to 500, I thought maybe she would read a few, maybe a 100 or so and that would be all, but she made it and we are really proud of her.”
Gleason said that for her, this seemed like a simple enough bargain to help her earn her way to that new Nintendo.
“I love to read,” Gleason said. “It makes you smarter.”
Once the terms of the deal were decided, Gleason began reading tirelessly in September, averaging as many as four books a day at one point. Gleason's dedication and commitment isn't too surprising considering the family she comes from. Gleason was born with a rare kidney disorder and her brother, Braeden, was also born with medical problems. Both have overcome their conditions.
Their strength inspired Vin to begin Run 4 Life as a means of raising funds for places like the Golisano Children's hospital in Syracuse that helped the Gleason family through their early medical obstacles.
In July, Vin completed a 26-mile run from Auburn to the hospital; this commitment may have rubbed off on his daughter.
“Maybe she has seen us do this kind of thing,” Vin said. “She has grown up seeing us set goals and meeting them, so maybe that is where she got the idea and what has helped make her so dedicated to doing what she sets out to do.”
Kaylei said that she has an extensive collection of books at home, but to reach her goal she spent a lot of time at the library and even got her school involved.
“It started as something at home,” Vin said. “But it grew to get the whole community involved. I e-mailed her teacher, Mrs. Coffin, and she would send Kaylei home and tell us what books she read at school. It was really nice how so many people got involved in what she was trying to do.”
At home, at school or in the library, Gleason never tired of reading.
“I like to read a lot,” Gleason said. “I liked to read at home with my dad. Sometimes he'd read a page and then I'd read a page. I like to read with my family a lot.”
Sitting at the small children's table in the reading room, Kaylei - along with her friend, Lauren DeBois, and her mother, father and brother - finished her 500th book, none other than Dr. Seuss' “In A People House.”
“I really like Dr. Seuss books,” Gleason said. “They are really funny.”
To celebrate the occasion, Gleason was presented with a cake emblazoned with the No. 500 as well as balloons from the library.
And the Gleasons had a gift for the library, presenting a complete list of books that were read that will be hung in the children's room.
As excited as Gleason was, her family was equally proud of her.
“I think it is great,” Vin said. “It is one of those things that you don't know how you will ever get through it, but here we are. I'm really impressed and really proud with her.”
Even now that she has reached her goal and will have a Nintendo waiting for her on Christmas morning, Gleason has no intentions of slowing down her reading habits and was already investigating the shelves looking for book No. 501.
“I really want to play Cats on my Nintendo,” Gleason said. “But I'm going to keep reading a lot. I just love to read and I love books.”
