After taking a week off, Arrow Readers on the Move is back at it for three weeks in July. Lowell Area School students who completed kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to read books, take accelerated reader (AR) tests, and earn points which turn into prizes.
Kindergarten and 1st grade students can earn a prize every time they accumulate 4 AR points, 2nd and 3rd graders are able to select a prize every six points, and 4th and 5th grade students need eight points. Prizes include ice cream from Red Barn Market, Ball’s Softee Cream, or the Ice Cream Caboose, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, Arrow Readers on the move t-shirts, a small BC Pizza, and more. There’s no limit to the number of prizes which can be won throughout the program.
Mystery Readers
New to Arrow Readers on the Move this summer is the addition of a mystery reader. Each location has a surprise guest who reads to students. “[The] Mystery reader has been a huge hit! It makes it about more than just getting the points and prizes, which I love!” says Katelynd Pulver, fourth grade teacher at Cherry Creek Elementary (CCE) who has also been helping out Wednesday evenings at Englehardt Libaray. So far principals Erin Walters and Shelli Otten, Curiosity Corner Director Kathy Burch, Chief of Police Steve Bukula, retired 2nd grade teacher Kim Lum, and Murray Lake kindergarten teacher Amy Pike have surprised students with a book or two read aloud. Fourth grade teacher at CCE, Peter Lang also says, “Students really have enjoyed the mystery readers which is seen through big smiles, hugs and a few sequels of delight when a student sees a former teacher walking through the door.”
Mystery readers will continue throughout the remaining weeks of the program. And the books these guests are sharing are ones with AR tests so students can take a quiz and earn more points.
Promoting a Love of Reading
Arrow Readers on the Move is more than earning points and collecting prizes. According to Lang, an average of 30 students are attending sessions at the school’s media center as well as Englehardt Library. Attendance in Alto has also been up this summer compared to past years. Over the first three weeks of the program approximately 130 students have participated each week across all locations. “I have been involved in Arrow Readers for several years now. It’s a joy to help kids maintain their love of reading through out the summer.” says coordinator Dawn Emelander, who is also the media specialist at Bushnell Elementary. “In addition, the kids get to see their friends that they might not otherwise see in the summer.”
Teachers and other staff help students check in, take tests, find new books, pick out prizes, and wherever else they are needed during each session. Those who help run the program do it for the students. They are there to help with and encourage reading. But they also enjoy seeing some of their students over the summer break.
Pulver says she enjoys meeting kids from outside her grade level as well as those who attend different schools in the district. “If I can help just one kid feel confident with their skills or encourage them it’s worth it.” says Jen Coviak, paraprofessional at CCE. She also loves reading herself and hopes kids to have fun with summer reading by picking books from genres they enjoy.
With three more weeks to go in the program, there’s still plenty of time to read and earn points to be able to select a prize. Books read through Arrow Readers on the Move can also be counted toward KDL’s Summer Reading Program and Mission: Read geared toward kindergarten through third grade students. Reading is the key to success in many areas of life. Developing good skills and habits early promotes an ease of learning as a student gets older and into adulthood. Lang concludes, “When students are surrounded by a literary environment no matter the time of year they grasp the importance of the skill and develop a passion for reading.” Just because school isn’t meeting regularly doesn’t mean learning, or reading, should stop.
Find Arrow Readers on the Move representatives on the following dates, locations, and times. Go to one more each day or week.
Tuesdays July 9, 16, 23
Cherry Creek Media Center 9am-12pm
Flat River Outreach Ministries 1pm-4pm
Alto Public Library 6pm-8pm
Wednesdays July 10, 17, 24
Murray Lake Media Center 9am-12pm
Lowell Englehardt Library 5:30pm-7:30pm
Any questions about the program can be directed to Dawn Emelander at [email protected]
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