Jacqueline Hattar (Partner-White Plains) participated in the virtual Read Across America Day program on March 2, 2021, at the Eugenio Maria de Hostos MicroSociety in Yonkers, New York. Jackie, who is Vice President of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association (WWBA), has coordinated the annual celebration of reading since the inception of the organization’s participation a dozen years ago. She was joined by other WWBA board members, who volunteered for this event by submitting read-along videos for the students out of respect for social distancing guidelines.

The Hostos MicroSociety School is a pre-K through grade 8 school designed as a microcosm of the real world, where each student has a valuable role in running the school. Students are entrepreneurs and other professionals who earn “micro” currency, elected officials who run the school government, judges and arbitrators who resolve disputes, and peace officers who ensure safety. The program is purposefully aligned with the academic curriculum, so that student learning is relevant to the real world and students are enthusiastic and prepared to be future leaders.