News Item

March 29, 2011

News item – Community reads to Drinkwater students

If you had walked through Drinkwater Elementary on Story Walk day last month, you would have been astounded by the number of people who gave up time in their busy lives to read to small groups of students. In all, 43 people including a very special guest from Victoria shared their love of reading with the students.

“It’s great for students to know that it’s not only teachers who read – that all kinds of people in their community read, too,” said Drinkwater principal Sheryl Koers. “Our purpose was to show that people from all walks of life enjoy reading and use it in their daily life,” she explained.

The guest readers were invited to bring a favourite book from home for the Story Walk or to make a selection from the Drinkwater library with help from teacher librarian Andre St. Cyr. Each read to three small groups over an hour; some had time to discuss the book with each multi-grade group or talk about why and what they read. Some were even in costume for the occasion.

High profile A-Channel TV anchor Hudson Mack read a cartoon adventure book that he said has appealed to all grade levels at the schools where he reads. Director of middle/secondary education Joe Rhodes read and sang Puff the Magic Dragon to guitar accompaniment; and trustee Ann Andersen shared with her groups the work of four generations of writers in her family. She talked with the students about how writers appeal to different audiences.

“The students really seemed to enjoy a cartoon story about a ball in a soccer match that my father wrote and illustrated in 1931,” she said. “They said everyone would like that one!”

Among the guests were former Drinkwater student and national rugby player Pat Kay, golf pro Norm Jackson, ferry captain Malcolm Vale, Cowichan library manager Melanie Reaveley, city of Duncan mayor Phil Kent, North Cowichan firefighter Brad Coleman, parents, teachers and school district staff.