SAMBAA K'E/TROUT LAKE
By dedicating themselves to reading, students at Charles Tetcho School have given their school's book collection a boost.
Students at Charles Tetcho School in Trout Lake display some of the books the school was able to purchase after being chosen as the regional winner for Enbridge Pipelines (NW) Inc.'s Pipeline to the Future Literacy Contest. The students include Kaechoa Rocque-Jumbo, front row, from left, and Sheldon Jeanbo; middle row, from left, McKayla Thwaites, Jada Lamalice, Deanna Jumbo, Sediah Lamalice and Adam Lamalice, back row, Faith Deneron, Angel Rose Betthale and Shannon Jumbo. - photo courtesy of David Madden
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Approximately eight students at the school in Trout Lake chose to participate in Enbridge Pipelines (NW) Inc.'s Pipeline to the Future Literacy Contest.
For 10 weeks between mid-September and mid-November, the students were challenged to read for 20 minutes every evening at home and have a parent or an adult sign off on their log book. At the end of the 10 weeks, the students brought their logs to the school to have them entered in the contest.
Because of their participation, Charles Tetcho School was chosen through a draw to receive a regional prize of $2,500 to be spent on curriculum approved literacy material.
The students were pleased to hear they had won, said David Madden, the school's principal.
Madden admitted he and his wife Nancy, also a teacher at the school, were even more excited at the prospect of getting new books for the school. The couple gave the students brochures from publishers so they could help pick the types of books they wanted.
The prize money allowed David and Nancy to purchase approximately 300 books for the school, ranging from picture books to chapter books and graphic novels.
"We're reaping the benefits already with students reading," David said.
Aaron Jumbo, 11, is enthusiastic about the school's new book collection.
"All the books are cool and they're nice to read," he said.
Jumbo said his favourite new book so far, titled Baby Blues, is a tale of what happens to a boy when his parents have another child.
Jumbo has also enjoyed the story and the pictures in a book about the legend of how the raven stole the sun.
The new chapter books have been the biggest draw for McKayla Thwaites. Thwaites, 9, said it's nice to get the new books because some of the older ones were worn and had torn pages.
The new graphic novels have also seen a lot of use, David said.
"They've been a big hit here," he said.
The Pipeline to the Future Literacy Contest marked its 10th anniversary in 2012. The program was developed with the goal of promoting literacy in both the Sahtu and the Deh Cho, said Ann Marie Tout, the Northern region manager for Enbridge Pipelines (NW) Inc.
This year, five schools in the Deh Cho participated along with schools in the Sahtu. One school in each region was chosen through a draw to win the regional prize.
One student from each participating school was also chosen through a draw to receive a $500 Canada Savings Bond. Sediah Lamalice, a kindergarten student, won the bond in Trout Lake.
