On the afternoon of Oct. 7, we had two authors visit us here at McNicoll Park Middle School. One hundred and eleven Grade 6 and 7 students listened to kc dyer in the library and in the drama room, 111 Grade 7 and 8s squeezed in to listen to James McCann.
Both presentations were a huge success and the students listened with great interest as each author told stories about how their books came to be written. With only 10 minutes left before the final bell, the students were told that they would each be receiving a copy of one of the books they had heard about. They lined up and eagerly accepted signed copies. It was a wonderful experience to step out into the hallways as the students rushed off for their long weekend. They were clutching their new books and talking about reading. One group was overheard planning how they would exchange their books so that everyone would get a chance to read each book.
Many of the students have already begun, or even finished reading their new books and now the book discussions begin. We know that building excitement about reading is the best way to get students reading on a regular basis. Raise-A-Reader has a brilliant strategy to get children excited. They give them new books.
Yasmin John-Thorpe does a tremendous job of making the Raise-A-Reader program work here in Penticton. She makes all the arrangements for the authors’ presentations, arranges to purchase the books from the authors, and then attends all of the presentations. She believes in the power of reading and does everything she can to support it.
I thought you should know about some of the effects that her program is having on the students of Penticton.
Paula Baker
McNicoll Park Middle School