On Tuesday students and staff at Old Greenwich School surprised Kathy Jarombek, director of youth services at the Perrot Library, with a celebration and gifts in honor of her many years sharing her love of children’s literature
In honor of Ms Jarombek’s upcoming retirement in January 2022, the entire school gathered outside to give a surprise thank you and present a homemade book signed by all the students.
Old Greenwich School principal Jen Bencivengo said many children from Old Greenwich meet Ms Jarombek before they enter kindergarten.
“When they’re babies, she does mother & child events, and reads to them at the Perrot,” Bencivengo said, adding that a favorite that Jarombek shares is a rhyming story by Rosemary Wells called Read to Your Bunny. “The beauty of the book is that it says, read to your bunny, and at the end it says some day your bunny will read to you.'”
Also Bencivengo said Old Greenwich School first graders get to walk to the Perrot and get their first library card and participate in a special ceremony.
“Just about every kiddo in Old Greenwich has passed through her hands in some way or another,” Bencivengo said. “She’s the reason we have a sea of readers.”
A day earlier was Cathy Jarombek Day, and the school community wrote a proclamation in her honor, noting Jarombek had inspired children to become readers, dreamers, and leaders. She developed literature critics with her young critics program; and despite challenges posed by pandemic closure, she ensured opportunities to foster reading persisted. Her infectious love of storytelling will live in the hearts of all of Old Greenwich forever.
