Idaho Lottery makes back to school deliveries

SANDPOINT — A trio of Bonner County schools were among a handful of North Idaho schools receiving a special delivery from the Idaho Lottery recently.

The Idaho Lottery made four back to school deliveries in Boundary and Bonner counties in mid-August making awards totaling $4,702.

The Idaho Lottery Community Engagement Team delivered two Classroom Wishlist projects and two Love Your School awards to schools in Bonners Ferry, Oldtown, Sandpoint and Kootenai.

In Bonner County, Kootenai Elementary was one of the recipients of a $1,000 Love Your School award. Principal Jenn Bicandi plans to use the funds to bring a guest speaker or two for school assemblies once the year begins. The donation was made possible by Idaho Lottery VIP Club member Briana Brosnahan.

Idaho Hill Elementary in Oldtown also received a $1,000 Love Your School award, this one compliment of Thomas Taylor. Principal Loretta Glazier plans to use the funds to purchase much-needed testing software to continually monitor student achievement, and success.

Love Your School is a program offered through the Idaho Lottery VIP club. Instead of making purchases, players enter into a sweepstakes with their points. If chosen, the winner receives $100 in scratch tickets and grants $1000 to the public school of their choice. This program occurs every month.

Washington Elementary received $1,115 for its reading intervention program. Megan Jordan is one of the school’s reading intervention paraprofessionals and made the Classroom Wishlist request.

“Getting young students engaged in reading helps them to be more academically successful,” said Jordan.

The funds went to purchase 25 book sets for the intervention program, with six books to a set and includes popular titles like the "Franklin" and "Mercy Watson" series.

In Boundary County, Valley View Elementary received 300 copies of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as part of the Idaho Lottery’s Classroom Wishlist program. Shelly Hoisington, a third-grade teacher at the school, made the request worth $1,587. She says the school plans to use the copies for its very successful “One School One Book” program.

“One School One Book” is where each family who attends the school receives a copy of the same book and reads it with their student. It is a program that is schoolwide and engages students in all grades.

“With all of the families engaged in reading, the fun weekly activities that we have surrounding the book, it really brings a great sense of community together for our school and our students,” said Hoisington.

Valley View has a strong commitment to improving early education literacy and takes pride in having very high test scores for reading. They point to the “One School One Book” program as helping their success.

Classroom Wishlist is a monthly program offered by the Idaho Lottery for public schools. Each month, every month of the year, the Idaho Lottery awards $10,000 in varying amounts based on project needs to schools for everything from classroom supplies to larger science projects.

    Kootenai Elementary was one of the recipients of a $1,000 Love Your School award. Above, Idaho Lottery officials present the award.
  

    Idaho Lottery officials recently presented a $1,000 Love Your School award, compliments of Thomas Tayla, to Idaho Hill Elementary staff.