Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 01/02) - Simone Gessle believes the key to improving student reading is through fostering positive attitudes towards literacy.

Gessle, an assistant principal at Weledeh Catholic School, has been involved with one such program for the past five years.

She said it has, combined with other school based initiatives, helped to improve school reading levels.

The program is the Rotary Reading program.

In co-operation with the Yellowknife Rotary Club, volunteers come to the school throughout the week and read to Grade 1 children on a one on one basis.

"Grade 1 is a really crucial year for reading," said Gessle.

"If the students have a change of attitude towards reading it will improve skills,' said Gessle.

"They've (rotary members) helped 100 per cent (to) foster children's love for reading."

Gessle has been involved in the Rotary program since its inception, first as a Grade 1 teacher and then as an administrator.

She said that the program has been quite successful.

"Five years later the students are still talking about how much they loved it," she said.

Janet Robinson is a Rotary member who has volunteered to be a reading buddy at Weledeh for the past five years.

"It is one of the most rewarding volunteer things you can do. The things we're doing with reading buddies has seen very tangible results.

Program in jeopardy

The program is part of the Rotary's Kids Ahead Program, which has two components.

The first is the reading program and the second is the Grade 1 snack program.

The snack program provides a nutritious snack to students at Weledeh and Mildred Hall schools.

"The basis is the learning process can be made simpler if the student isn't running on empty," said Robinson.

A shortage of funds may jeopardize that program, said Robinson.

"It's a struggle. It costs a bundle," she said.

"We've done it for five years on our own.

"We're not sure we can continue without a major sponsor."