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Stories of summer

DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 10 months AGO
by DEVIN WEEKS
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | June 17, 2021 1:00 AM

COEUR d’ALENE — Kicking back with a good book is one way to stay cool this summer.

"Reading is one of my favorite subjects," incoming Canfield Middle School seventh-grader Chloe France said.

Chloe and other older students are volunteering their time to help younger kids build their literacy skills during the Coeur d'Alene School District's #CDAReads summer reading program, which had its first event Tuesday.

"I joined because I thought it would be fun to help out other kids who have a hard time reading,” Chloe said. "I think it would be really fun to hang out with the younger kids."

More than 800 pre-identified K-5 students have been invited to attend two-hour #CDAReads sessions twice a week in June and July. Students will be transported by bus to Borah Elementary to read with mentors and enjoy music, games, STEM activities and lunch. They'll also get to select two new books to take home from every visit.

"The magic number, if they have seven books or more in the summer that they get to pick out, they’re more likely to read and stick to it over the summer," said Innovia Foundation's Opening Books, Opening Doors program manager, Amy Voeller.

Innovia Foundation is a nonprofit that works to improve access to education, promote health and wellbeing, support arts and culture, create economic opportunity and enhance quality of life. It's partnering with Parker Toyota to support #CDAReads by providing a $3,000 grant for books and programming.

Parker Toyota donated four bikes, helmets and locks to incentivize students to attend each session. Every time students attend, they'll add their names to the drawing for one of the bikes. The drawing will take place on the last day of the program, July 28.

To add to the fun, Parker Toyota's friendly canine mascots, yellow lab Sunny and golden retriever Maya, will be making celebri-dog appearances at the events.

"We’re hoping to get the kids excited about reading,” Parker Toyota operations manager Isaac Reinert said. "We thought the dogs would be a good way to do that."

Parker Toyota human resources director and Isaac's wife, Kyeli Reinert, said "when kids develop a love for reading and can read well by third grade, they are more likely to graduate high school and have greater opportunities to pursue after graduation.

"We thought bikes would be the perfect incentive to get the kids excited about reading," she said. "#CDAReads is the perfect program to promote healthy living and reading at an early age, and we are excited to partner with Innovia Foundation and the school district for this."

Info: www.innovia.org

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DEVIN WEEKS/Press

Parker Toyota operations manager Isaac Reinert, with golden retriever Maya, along with Innovia Foundation's Amy Voeller on Tuesday get kids excited about reading and possibly winning a new bike during the first #CDAReads event.

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DEVIN WEEKS/Press

Incoming Canfield Middle School seventh-graders Chloe France, left, and Aspen Sissen enjoy a STEM experiment Tuesday at the first #CDAReads event.

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DEVIN WEEKS/Press

Parker Toyota's golden retriever celebri-dog Maya will be a reading mentor when she makes appearances at the #CDAReads events at Borah Elementary this summer. She's seen here smiling for the camera on Tuesday.

MORE LOCAL-NEWS STORIES

Parker Toyota, Innovia team up for summer reading program
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 3 years, 10 months ago
Reading, leading, achieving
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 3 years, 9 months ago
What will the kids do this summer? READ!
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 5 years, 11 months ago

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