As part of a district-wide initiative, members of Pine Tree staff have spent one day a week at the Waldon Lakes Apartments working with students in reading.
According to Pine Tree Principal Diane Dunaskiss, all the elementary schools picked a neighborhood in which to host their summer reading program. Pine Tree chose Waldon Lakes.
‘Our goal is to prevent summer reading loss,? Dunaskiss said of the program where students can come, select some books to take home with them and read (to return the following week) and even choose to stick around and read to teachers.
Dunaskiss said that program was open to any students from that area, no matter which elementary school they attend.
Books and book bags were donated by the Orion Township Library, plus parents also donated books and elementary school staff donated their time.
‘It was no cost to the district,? Dunaskiss added.
For Pine Tree student, Caitlynn Newman, 8, her favorite subject in school is reading and she was happy to have a place to continue that through the summer. She attended the reading club every week.
‘I liked getting the books and taking them home and reading them,? she said, adding that her favorite types of books to read are books about tigers and lions.
On Aug. 15, the summer reading club celebrated the success of the program with an ice cream party.
According to Dunaskiss, the group that met at Waldon Lake had 35 kids participate over the span of the summer, eight of whom came weekly and another four that only missed a week or two.
For participating, students also received a t-shirt, as well as a book to take home and add to their collection.