Mt. Vernon Register-News

Local

May 19, 2008

Waltonville student challenges herself with reading goal

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

WALTONVILLE —At the beginning of the school year, Waltonville eighth-grader Shelby Patterson set a goal: to earn 1,000 Accelerated Reader points for the year. Not only did she meet her goal, she surpassed it, earning 1,034.9 AR points — the equivalent of 120 books.

The AR program is a reading software program offered to participating schools through Renaissance Learning. Students choose a book to read at their appropriate reading level and read at their own pace. Once they are finished with the book, students take a quiz. Results of the quiz help teachers motivate and monitor students’ reading and vocabulary growth and comprehension.

Waltonville Grade School has only recently received access to quizzes online — Renaissance Learning offers more than 120,000 quizzes — and as a result, the school has offered new incentives this year to get students to read. According to Principal Shlonda Horton, students who participate in the AR program and earn 25 points would win a soda; at 50 points, they would receive a free book; at 75 points, they receive a $10 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble bookstore; and at 100, it’s lunch with the principal.

Patterson has been to lunch with Horton every month of the school year.

“Shelby started the year with a goal, and it was to reach 1,000 AR points. She is the type that when she sets a goal, she’ll do everything in her power to reach that goal,” Horton said. “Every time you saw her, she had a book with her — in the lunch line or the playground. She has actually inspired several of the younger children in the AR program.”

“I just love reading,” Patterson said. “It’s fun. I can see myself in some of these characters, and it’s fun to see what happens to them.” She added one of her favorite books is “Dr. Franklin’s Island,” a story about kids who are the only survivors of a plane crash and find themselves on a deserted island with an evil scientist who tries to turn them into animals.

Teacher Susan Gajewski boasted that Patterson’s accomplishment of more than 1,000 points reflected that she read about 1,944,794 words in the AR program. “I’m so impressed and proud of Shelby for setting 1,000 as her goal at the beginning of the year and work so hard to achieve it.” In celebration of her milestone, Patterson had lunch with Gajewski at Lone Star restaurant last week.

“She’s been an inspiration,” added Horton. “I’m taking 17 students on Monday [today] to lunch.”

Superintendent Craig Kujawa said the AR program was very important to schools. “One of the biggest attributes is instilling the value of being a lifelong reader into children ... which enhances levels of reading comprehension,” he said.

“[Reading] helps them in every subject. It’s the foundation of learning,” Horton said.

Text Only
Local
  • Evening of Jazz at Cedarhurst Valentine weekend

    The 6th Annual Valentine Weekend Jazz Concert at Cedarhurst will be held Saturday, featuring the Loren Golden Ensemble.
    "This is the sixth year for the Evening of Jazz at Cedarhurst,” Sarah Sledge, Cedarhurst's Communications Director noted. "It's always a popular event when we pair jazz music with the Valentine theme."
    Golden, an attorney by profession, is a talented pianist who frequently performs with the Elgin Community College Jazz Ensemble, inormation states.  A pianist since the age of four, his love of the arts has inspired his continued involvement with music. Golden has enjoyed playing piano in variety shows, summer theatre, and clubs such as the Playboy Clubs in Chicago and Lake Geneva.

    February 9, 2012

  • District 80 receives recognition

    City Schools District 80 received a 3.8 out of a possible 4 points on its 2012 Financial Profile Designation from the Illinois State Board of Education.
    This is the second year in a row the district has received the “financial recognition” category from the state board; the district received the same score as 2011.

    February 9, 2012

  • WILLIAMS JCAAHC highlights citizens

    Karl Williams, the inbound manager at Walgreen’s Distribution, has worked there for 39 years, 20 of which has been in the King City.
    Debbie Kendrick-Hopgood followed in her grandmother’s and father’s footsteps as the head of Kendrick Paper Stock Company, and has worked there since 1980.

    February 9, 2012 1 Photo

  • Start Smart program to start second season

    MT. VERNON — The Mt. Vernon Department of Parks and Recreation will host a second season of Start Smart, a program that helps parents teach their children sports skills.

    February 8, 2012

  • Mayor declares February Black History Month

    MT. VERNON — February is Black History Month across the United States, but it is officially Black History Month in the city of Mt. Vernon as well.

    February 8, 2012

  • Church to host revival

    MT. VERNON — Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church will be hosting a three-day Black History Month Celebration/Winter Revival in conjunction with Jefferson County Crusaders for Change.

    February 8, 2012

  • City approves track construction plans

    MT. VERNON —  The Mt. Vernon City Council on Monday approved a resolution allowing a rail spur to be built onto Continental Tire the Americas property.

    February 8, 2012

  • fire fighter Fire fighters tour with military truck

    MT. VERNON — Mt. Vernon Fire Department firefighter and Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Chris Heiken brought a military tactical fire fighting truck to the 42nd Street Mt. Vernon Fire Department station on Tuesday.

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • Chamber of Commerce seeks nominations

    MT. VERNON — Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its 2012 Citizen of the Year and Small Business Person of the Year.

    February 7, 2012

  • Crime Stoppers to release Watchdog Quarterly

    MT. VERNON — The Jefferson County Crime Stoppers is gearing up to release its first Watchdog Quarterly.

    February 7, 2012