Assemblyman Tom Alfano's Summer Reading Challenge has always been a hit throughout the Elmont community. Each year, Alfano teams with the Elmont Library to promote reading during the summer months. Hundreds of Elmont young people take that challenge and read to achieve. The goal of the challenge to promote reading and comprehension.

For the past three years, the Alfano Reading Challenge has featured a great motivator to young people in the form of the New York Knicks' Groove Mobile, which comes to the schools.

This past June, Alfano kicked off the challenge at Covert Avenue School with Principal Dr. Margaret Pleta. Clara H. Carlson was last year's winner with an outstanding performance.

This year's winner was the Dutch Broadway School. Dutch boasted over 350 students who participated in the challenge. In recognition of Dutch's win, Alfano and Cablevision VP Trent Anderson visited the school with the Knicks' Mobile and all-star basketball player Kym Hampton from the New York Liberty.

In recognition of Dutch's achievement, Alfano and Anderson announced that Dutch will be the first Nassau County School to be part of the Cablevision-Alfano-N.Y. Knicks "Virtual Reading Zone."

"This program will be exciting for all of you. By reading and learning, you'll not only help yourselves, but your school as well," said Anderson in announcing the program.

As part of the Virtual Reading Zone, students will be able to earn achievement points toward earning books for their school library and other prizes.

Elmont Superintendent of Schools Al Harper noted that the program is going to be "real exciting for our students."

During the awards presentation, Hampton, the Liberty power forward, talked to students about reading to succeed and its importance in their everyday life. "By reading, you're empowering yourselves so that you can achieve your personal goals,' she said.

After the Liberty star's speech, she called out and challenged Principal Walter Aksionoff, Harper and Assemblyman Alfano to a shooting contest on the Dutch Broadway basketball court. Students chanted as Alfano, Harper, Aksionoff and Hampton took the court. In each of the contests, all four hit three-point field goals, lay-ups and free throws. The chants of "Mr. A," "Mr. Harper" and "Go Tom Go" electrified the gym.

"Teaming with the Knicks and Cablevision is a slam dunk for the Elmont community," said Alfano. "These kids earned it by working hard and reading. My goal in starting the reading challenge was to promote literacy and continue the learning process outside the classroom. The goal is being achieved."

"The library is so pleased to be a part of this community building program. Reading and education are the great equalizer in today's society. This program sets the standard," said Elmont Library Board President Brian Lynn.

Principal Aksionoff said the Dutch Broadway School was excited to be a part of the program and thanked the Knicks, the Liberty and Assemblyman Alfano for bringing it to Elmont.

The Virtual Reading Zone utilizes the Internet and books to promote literacy and comprehension. The Knicks Zone set a goal with the Dutch Broadway School and has students read from a book list prepared by Cablevision, Alfano and the Knicks. Once the books are read, reports and programs are done to demonstrate comprehension and critical thinking skills. Along the way, students receive postcards from Knicks players on the road and books for the school library.

The third grade classes at Dutch will be the first Reading Zone partners with the Knicks.