Inuvik (May 26/06) - Sammy the Husky is travelling across Canada, but the only way he will finish his trip is if his friends keep reading.

Sammy is the mascot for Sir Alexander Mackenzie school and his progress is being marked by the number of students who read on a daily basis.

Students at Sir Alexander Mackenzie school are ending the school year with a fun reading program that will also educate them about the different provinces in our country. Grade 5 students Josephine Martin and Chris Carnogurski have been contributing to the program for the last few weeks. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

A small picture of the mushing mascot is currently sitting in Manitoba, where he is most likely eating a Manitoban goldeye, which he caught in Lake Winnipeg.

The reading initiative planned by the SAMS literacy council is called "Reading across Canada."

The program is designed to promote reading in the school among students from kindergarten to Grade 6.

"We wanted a nice kick off to the end of the year and we wanted to get the students reading every day," said Grade 5 teacher Jessica Starratt.

Starratt is one of the teachers who organized the event. She watches over her class as they read.

A reading session is held every day and all students are encouraged to participate.

Every student who reads for the 30-minute session counts as one kilometre towards Sammy's trek.

A large map of Canada is plastered on the wall of the front foyer of the school for all to see.

Starratt said the teachers also sneak in some social studies teachings in the reading exercise.

"Sammy does things that are unique to that area of the country," explained Starratt.

"He spent some time eating lobsters in Newfoundland last week," she said.

Twelve-year-old Josephine Martin said she has been enjoying the program, and is engrossed in her favourite book "Strider."

"I like reading about exciting adventures, but I'll read anything that gets my interest," said Martin.

Sammy the Husky still has a way to go before finishing his 9,000-kilometre trip, but bookworm Chris Carnogurski is confident that the mascot will make it.

"I have been reading for Sammy for the past two weeks," said Carnogurski, who just moved to Inuvik from Calgary.

He reads a lot of books and couldn't decide which was his favourite.

"I don't want to limit myself to just one," said the 11-year-old.

A welcome party is planned for Sammy once he completes his journey to Inuvik, which started in Saint John, New Brunswick.