Gordon Denny Community School successfully applied for a $35,000 grant. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

literacy

Gordon Denny secures $35,000 grant to purchase new books

Jun 20, 2022 | 5:00 PM

Air Ronge’s Gordon Denny Community School is one in more than 30 Canadian elementary schools across the country to receive an Indigo Love of Reading Foundation grant this year.

The school celebrated the awarding of the $35,000 grant with a special school assembly on Monday. Principal Marlina Ballantyne explained the grant will be paid out over three years, noting staff at Gordon Denny have been trying to secure it for years.

“The grant is used for schools that are in need to replenish old books, replenish the libraries in the classroom and then to fill them with books that students can relate to, that they can connect with and identify with,” she said. “We are finding a lot of our books are not up to where they should be.”

Ballantyne mentioned part of the goal is to boost literacy and numeracy skills in students, as well as purchase newer books with more up to date information. She added there’s also a need to refresh the schools libraires because of general wear and tear of the collection.

“Especially the non-fiction, things are happening in the world that are changing and there is new literature coming out that reflects that,” Ballantyne said. “With family dynamics, with finding oneself, geographic changes, things like that that are going on and we need to keep up. That’s what’s going to happen with these funds.”

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Although the school does receive some funding every school year to update the library, Ballantyne said it has been many years since it will be enhanced to this magnitude. She noted students are excited because they will be able to be part of the ordering process and new books will be available this fall.

In 2022, the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation has committed $1.5 million to purchase 150,000 books for underserved schools in Canada. The foundation has distributed $33 million since 2004.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno