Dobbs Ferry School District
Community Summer Read!
Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…..One School at a Time
Dear Dobbs Ferry Community Member,
The end of the school year is swiftly approaching and while nobody is eager to have
“homework,” over the vacation, we are hoping to get 100% participation in our first-ever
Community Summer Read!
This summer the Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District would like to invite all K-12 students,
parents, faculty, staff and administrators to join in a Community Read of the book, Three
Cups of Tea. Our goal is to promote a shared literary experience and create a common dialogue
between school and home around the themes that one person can make a difference, and that
education can be the vehicle for peace and hope.
We chose the book, Three Cups of Tea for three very important reasons. First, the book is
available in three different versions and is accessible to everyone regardless of your age or
reading level. All three editions are #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list.
o
Adult Version
Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…..One School At A
Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
o
Young Adult Version
Three Cups of Tea; One Man’s Journey to Change the World, One child At A
Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
o
Children’s Version
Listen to the Wind; The story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea by Greg
Mortenson & Susan L. Roth
Each version of this inspirational story depicts Greg Mortenson’s mission to promote peace by
building schools in isolated, impoverished areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. As described by
Tom Brokaw, “Three Cups of Tea is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time.
Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of
Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with
the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world.”
The second reason for choosing this book is because it supports our Strategic Plan and our
Global Culture goal to promote intercultural understanding so that our students value and are
able to interact with people from different social, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Three
Cups of Tea will provide all of our readers with a universal understanding of different customs,
viewpoints and vocabulary enabling them to experience and connect to people with
backgrounds dissimilar to their own. The book supports the message of “Rachel’s Challenge,”
which maintains that one person can start a chain reaction and positively impact the lives of
others through kindness and compassion.
Lastly, the third reason for selecting this book is because it incorporates subject areas and
themes across the curriculum including, but not limited to, geography, social studies, language
arts, and community service. It is our hope that all members of the Dobbs Ferry Schools’
community will read one of these books over the summer, and return to school in September
with a renewed spirit that we all have the ability to make a difference.
This initiative is being co-sponsored by the School District, the Dobbs Ferry Schools
Foundation and the Dobbs Ferry PTSA. A guest speaker will also be leading a school-wide
assembly related to our selected reading in the fall. I sincerely hope you will join us for our
first-ever Community Summer Read program.
Thank you for your support and have a great vacation!
Best Regards,
Debra Kaplan
Superintendent of Schools