ENNIS - Ennis elementary and junior high students have an extra incentive to read and read well this semester thanks to a recent donation by the Montana Masonic Lodge No. 2.
This incentive made its way into the school last week in the form of seven new mountain bikes and safety helmets, all courtesy of the local Masonic Lodge. The bikes will be awarded to students in grades K-8 as part of the Masonic Lodge sponsored "Bikes for Books Program," which aims to encourage kids to read through joint efforts between the local school district and Masonic Lodge.
On display in the hallway near the front office, the bikes are creating quite a buzz about reading, which will be celebrated school wide February 28 through March 4 during Read Across America week.
"We see this program as a nice incentive to get kids excited about reading with the ultimate goal of them taking a lifelong interest in reading. The excitement generated from the bikes just being in the hallway has been tremendous . . . It's a great incentive to get kids interested in reading more with the goal that they will start to say ‘hey, books are fun.' The Ennis School District is very thankful for the generous donation by the Masonic Lodge," said Ennis elementary principal Brian Hilton.
People are also reading…
Local Masonic Lodge repreive T.R. Lane presented the bikes to the school on behalf of the Lodge in the hope of encouraging reading - a lifelong skill that Masonic Lodges throughout the nation are recognizing as critical to a students overall success in education.
"We think it's a way we can influence young people for a better education . . . I really think our main focus is to give the kids an incentive to read and read well. Without that the education process stops. This is the reason we are focusing on the elementary kids and trying to create an incentive for them," said Lane.
According to Lane, Masonic Lodges across the nation are taking part in the "Bikes for Books Program," a program that Lane and others hope becomes an annual part of the school reading curriculum.
"We would like to see this made into a yearly program. We look forward to doing that for the kids and the school. We want to see kids reading," said Lane.
Starting Feb. 28, kids will earn a ticket for every book they read that is classified as an Accelerated Reader Book. Each ticket earned equates a chance to win one of the seven bikes.
According to school librarian Cindy Pederson, students will need to pass a comprehensive STAR Reading Test on the book before receiving a ticket for the bike drawing. Once a student reads a book, they take an online test that assesses their retention and comprehension. The test is used by the school as a tool to identify student's needs, strengths, and weaknesses. Additionally, the tests help identify a student's Zone of Proximal Development, or the zone in which they learn best. Finding this zone aids in the selection of appropriate reading material for each individual student's reading level.
Students will also have other opportunities to earn tickets during Read Across America week and throughout the semester. Three bikes will be drawn for on Friday, March 4 during the 1 p.m. scheduled Read Across America assembly. The remaining four bikes will be drawn for at the end of March and April.
Pederson and Hilton believe that implementing the Bikes for Books Program in conjunction with the already established Accelerated Reader/STAR Reading Program will go a long ways toward enhancing the school wide reading curriculum. Together, the programs will motivate kids to develop good reading habits at an early age.
"The STAR Program identifies where students are at. Accelerated Reader gives us an idea of what they are retaining and their comprehension level. The kids enjoy taking the tests. That is a motivation in itself . . . The kids are asking a lot of questions about how to win the bikes and what they need to do to get signed up. It is already generating interest in and excitement about reading," said Hilton.
Pederson added that programs such as "Bikes for Books," promote a fun atmosphere that naturally gets kids excited about reading. This extra push is sometimes all it takes for kids to find a lifelong hobby in reading.
"I think it's really important to have motivators. It seems that kids aren't as self motivated to read for pleasure as they used to be because there are so many other things out there for them-Nintendo, video games, computer games . . . I'm hoping it will really motivate the kids. They are already talking about the bikes and excited for a chance to win one. I'm hoping it will motivate them to read more and find a love for reading." Keeley Fitzgerald is a correspondent for The Montana Standard's Three Rivers Edition. She can be reached at keeleyfitz@hotmail.comtaking part in the "Bikes for Books Program," a program that Lane and others hope becomes an annual part of the school reading curriculum.
"We would like to see this made into a yearly program. We look forward to doing that for the kids and the school. We want to see kids reading," said Lane.
Starting Feb. 28, kids will earn a ticket for every book they read that is classified as an Accelerated Reader Book. Each ticket earned equates a chance to win one of the seven bikes.
According to school librarian Cindy Pederson, students will need to pass a comprehensive STAR Reading Test on the book before receiving a ticket for the bike drawing. Once a student reads a book, they take an online test that assesses their retention and comprehension. The test is used by the school as a tool to identify student's needs, strengths, and weaknesses. Additionally, the tests help identify a student's Zone of Proximal Development, or the zone in which they learn best. Finding this zone aids in the selection of appropriate reading material for each individual student's reading level.
Students will also have other opportunities to earn tickets during Read Across America week and throughout the semester. Three bikes will be drawn for on Friday, March 4 during the 1 p.m. scheduled Read Across America assembly. The remaining four bikes will be drawn for at the end of March and April.
Pederson and Hilton believe that implementing the Bikes for Books Program in conjunction with the already established Accelerated Reader/STAR Reading Program will go a long ways toward enhancing the school wide reading curriculum. Together, the programs will motivate kids to develop good reading habits at an early age.
"The STAR Program identifies where students are at. Accelerated Reader gives us an idea of what they are retaining and their comprehension level. The kids enjoy taking the tests. That is a motivation in itself . . . The kids are asking a lot of questions about how to win the bikes and what they need to do to get signed up. It is already generating interest in and excitement about reading," said Hilton.
Pederson added that programs such as "Bikes for Books," promote a fun atmosphere that naturally gets kids excited about reading. This extra push is sometimes all it takes for kids to find a lifelong hobby in reading.
"I think it's really important to have motivators. It seems that kids aren't as self motivated to read for pleasure as they used to be because there are so many other things out there for them-Nintendo, video games, computer games . . . I'm hoping it will really motivate the kids. They are already talking about the bikes and excited for a chance to win one. I'm hoping it will motivate them to read more and find a love for reading." Keeley Fitzgerald is a correspondent for The Montana Standard's Three Rivers Edition. She can be reached at keeleyfitz@hotmail.comENNIS - Ennis elementary and junior high students have an extra incentive to read and read well this semester thanks to a recent donation by the Montana Masonic Lodge No. 2.
This incentive made its way into the school last week in the form of seven new mountain bikes and safety helmets, all courtesy of the local Masonic Lodge. The bikes will be awarded to students in grades K-8 as part of the Masonic Lodge sponsored "Bikes for Books Program," which aims to encourage kids to read through joint efforts between the local school district and Masonic Lodge.
On display in the hallway near the front office, the bikes are creating quite a buzz about reading, which will be celebrated school wide February 28 through March 4 during Read Across America week.
"We see this program as a nice incentive to get kids excited about reading with the ultimate goal of them taking a lifelong interest in reading. The excitement generated from the bikes just being in the hallway has been tremendous . . . It's a great incentive to get kids interested in reading more with the goal that they will start to say ‘hey, books are fun.' The Ennis School District is very thankful for the generous donation by the Masonic Lodge," said Ennis elementary principal Brian Hilton.
Local Masonic Lodge repreive T.R. Lane presented the bikes to the school on behalf of the Lodge in the hope of encouraging reading - a lifelong skill that Masonic Lodges throughout the nation are recognizing as critical to a students overall success in education.
"We think it's a way we can influence young people for a better education . . . I really think our main focus is to give the kids an incentive to read and read well. Without that the education process stops. This is the reason we are focusing on the elementary kids and trying to create an incentive for them," said Lane.
According to Lane, Masonic Lodges across the nation are taking part in the "Bikes for Books Program," a program that Lane and others hope becomes an annual part of the school reading curriculum.
"We would like to see this made into a yearly program. We look forward to doing that for the kids and the school. We want to see kids reading," said Lane.
Starting Feb. 28, kids will earn a ticket for every book they read that is classified as an Accelerated Reader Book. Each ticket earned equates a chance to win one of the seven bikes.
According to school librarian Cindy Pederson, students will need to pass a comprehensive STAR Reading Test on the book before receiving a ticket for the bike drawing. Once a student reads a book, they take an online test that assesses their retention and comprehension. The test is used by the school as a tool to identify student's needs, strengths, and weaknesses. Additionally, the tests help identify a student's Zone of Proximal Development, or the zone in which they learn best. Finding this zone aids in the selection of appropriate reading material for each individual student's reading level.
Students will also have other opportunities to earn tickets during Read Across America week and throughout the semester. Three bikes will be drawn for on Friday, March 4 during the 1 p.m. scheduled Read Across America assembly. The remaining four bikes will be drawn for at the end of March and April.
Pederson and Hilton believe that implementing the Bikes for Books Program in conjunction with the already established Accelerated Reader/STAR Reading Program will go a long ways toward enhancing the school wide reading curriculum. Together, the programs will motivate kids to develop good reading habits at an early age.
"The STAR Program identifies where students are at. Accelerated Reader gives us an idea of what they are retaining and their comprehension level. The kids enjoy taking the tests. That is a motivation in itself . . . The kids are asking a lot of questions about how to win the bikes and what they need to do to get signed up. It is already generating interest in and excitement about reading," said Hilton.
Pederson added that programs such as "Bikes for Books," promote a fun atmosphere that naturally gets kids excited about reading. This extra push is sometimes all it takes for kids to find a lifelong hobby in reading.
"I think it's really important to have motivators. It seems that kids aren't as self motivated to read for pleasure as they used to be because there are so many other things out there for them-Nintendo, video games, computer games . . . I'm hoping it will really motivate the kids. They are already talking about the bikes and excited for a chance to win one. I'm hoping it will motivate them to read more and find a love for reading." Keeley Fitzgerald is a correspondent for The Montana Standard's Three Rivers Edition. She can be reached at keeleyfitz@hotmail.com
