Qwest Minnesota

READERS FOR LIFE

Spirit the dog gives students at Lincoln Elementary School some high-fives Tuesday during a presentation by the Qwest Pioneers to promote the "Readers for Life" program. The program helps public school teachers and reading specialists get books for the students to promote good reading habits.

Program puts books in youngsters' hands

By Kirsti Marohn, kmarohn@stcloudtimes.com

Published: December 05. 2007 12:30AM

Ask 7-year-old Diego Colon what he likes to read about and the Lincoln Elementary second-grader can't contain his enthusiasm.

"Monkeys!" he yells.

And just how much does Colon read?

"Actually, all the time," he says matter-of-factly.

Students like Colon might warm teachers' hearts, but not all children have ready access to books. Thanks to a community service program, 369 Lincoln Elementary students have a new book to take home to read.

The Qwest Pioneers, a volunteer group made up of current and retired Qwest employees, distributed the books Tuesday as part of the Readers for Life program.

All students in grades kindergarten through six received a book appropriate for their reading level. The books were purchased with help from a Qwest Foundation grant.

The program's goal is "to give every child their own book to get the children to read," said Carol Barthel, president of the Qwest Pioneers Central Council.

"If you can read, you can do everything," Barthel said.

The program typically chooses schools whose students don't have many reading materials at home, Qwest spokeswoman Joanna Hjelmeland said. With help from teachers, the program coordinators choose books that are fun to read but also build vocabulary and reading skills, she said.

The idea is to spark an interest in reading so children will continue by checking out books at the library, Hjelmeland said.

"Obviously, children who read will mean children who do better in school and who do better in life," she said.

One of those receiving a new book Tuesday was Amelia Meyers, 5, a kindergartner who named Dr. Seuss' "The Cat in the Hat" as her favorite book.

Eleven-year-old Arjun Ganguly, a sixth-grader at Lincoln, said reading fantasy fiction books is a great way to pass time.

"It entertains you," he said.

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