Shown from left to right, are Jill Evans, principal of Rivermont Elementary; County Mayor Jim Coppinger; Tracey Elliot, a parent volunteer at Rivermont; Kathy Lennon, School Board Member representing District 2; and Shawn Kurrelmeier-Lee, Read 20
Probasco Readers program winners for 2018-2019 are Middle Valley Elementary and Rivermont Elementary. Middle Valley won the large school award, and Rivermont took the small school honor. The latest win is the sixth time Middle Valley Elementary has won their division.
Probasco is an awards program of Read 20, a public-private partnership with a mission to develop a community of readers by promoting the importance of reading with children at least 20 minutes a day or more.
Students read outside of school time, which means families participate and support the outside reading of students. The schools with the highest percentage of students reading a million words during the school year are the winners of the reading competition. The prize money of $5,000 per school benefits the libraries in the schools.
Students keep a reading log and a chart to track progress during the year. Teachers chart their classroom progress and think of creative ways to encourage reading outside of class.
Parent volunteer Tracey Elliot was credited with helping Rivermont log the many reading hours of students this year.