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Readers inspire future leaders

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If reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body, then K. William Harvey students are getting a great workout while snacking on cinnamon rolls and milk.

The Role Model Readers program invites groups of individuals to read to students during the free breakfast mealtime. Groups that have volunteered to read through the years include high school athletes, Ronan firefighters, Salish Kootenai College students, and various community members.

“We never have trouble getting volunteer readers to come,” said Carey Swanberg, dean of students and reading specialist.

Started 22 years ago as the “Morning Reading Club” by educators Robyn Schock and Cheryl Cheff, and paraprofessional Peggy Rowe, the program has grown throughout the years.

Although Schock is now a second-grade teacher at Pablo Elementary and Cheff is retired, Rowe kept the program alive as she attended college and became a third-grade teacher, “without missing a beat,” according to Swanberg. “Notice how she controls the whole crowd,” Swanberg added.

On Friday morning, Rowe scooted around the gymnasium, seating each child at a table with a reading group led by Ronan High School students in the National Honors Society. 

“My passion is to create lifelong readers,” Rowe said. 

Yet the program instills much more than a love of books.

By pairing grade school children with high school students, the youngsters look up to the older kids and become inspired to become high school athletes, graduates, and even go on to college.

“I couldn’t wait to be in high school,” said Ronan High Senior Ashley Peterson about her experiences while in the grade school reading program. “It made (reading) more fun,” Peterson said as she returned the favor on Friday. 

Matt Detwiler was involved in the club as a child, returned to read to the students while in high school, and is now teaching third grade at K. William Harvey.

Fancee Oldperson and her younger sister Cynthia wore their Superhero Reader t-shirts to breakfast. The shirts are earned by reading 50 times outside of the classroom. The reading program is another incentive intertwined with the school’s desire to grow a love of reading.

Montana’s reading scores are consistently higher than average across the nation, according to National Center for Education Statistics at nces.ed.gov. Based on most recent assessment testing, Montana’s eighth grade students rank sixth in the country and fourth grade students rank 10th.

 

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