Reading is (fun)damental at PCES thanks to Masons’ Bikes for Books
GUILFORD — Students at Piscataquis Community Elementary School had an even greater incentive to read over the last few months as for every title the pupils read or had read to them, they could enter into a drawing to win a brand new bicycle thanks to the Mt. Kineo Lodge of Guilford and Abner Wade Lodge of Sangerville. On the morning of April 15, the drawing for the 2016 edition of “Bikes for Books” was held with 32 lucky names being pulled from kindergarten through grade 6.
Photo courtesy of Walter Boomsma
BIKES FOR BOOKS — PCES students had the opportunity to win a brand new bicycle thanks to local Masonic Lodges during the annual Bikes for Books drawing on April 15 at the school in Guilford. Pictured are front, from left, Anah Shriner clowns Lorne “Gizmo” Noiles and Scott “Digger” Knight. Back, Herb Libby, program coordinator for Mt. Kineo Lodge of Guilford; Tom Goulette, Mt. Kineo Lodge master; Richard Hersey, Mt. Kineo Lodge marshall; Val Kand, Mt. Kineo Lodge senior deacon; Kelly Jordan, master for Abner Wade Lodge of Sangerville; Ron Smith, Abner Wade Lodge program coordinator; and Dennis Green, master for Piscataquis Lodge of Milo.
“Our goal is to encourage every student to become the best reader that they can,” said Herb Libby, program coordinator for Mt. Kineo Lodge. “A student that can read well and comprehend what they read has opened their own door to anything that they want to be. Hopefully this program helps them to open their doors.”
“Valley Grange Bookworms who volunteer to listen to kids read enjoy supporting Bikes for Books because it’s yet another tool for motivating kids to read and for normalizing the act of reading,” said Walter Boomsma, lecturer and publicity director for the Valley Grange. “Bookworms appreciate the very real sense that there are so many working so hard at PCES to help kids discover and develop the skill and habit of reading.”
The 2016 Bikes for Books at PCES featured students reading 1,655 books. Kindergartener Breelyn Gaw earned top reader honors with a total of 182 books read/entered into her grade’s drawing.
This year’s winners are kindergarten: Ryan Gatetzke, Breelyn Gaw, Kamryn Gould, Jayden Spack, Benjamin Wingert and Olivia Young.
Grade 1: Charissa Ahlquist, Olivia Goodwin, Jacob Knowles, Carson Richards, Michah Shirley and Reese Starbird.
Grade 2: Donald Farnham, Brady Gaw, Kaydance Sheridan and Jaiyde True.
Grade 3: Addyson Beckwith, Joshua Harrington, Khloe Kimball and Ashur Rowell.
Grade 4: Scott Chadbourne, Benjamin Higgins, Kamryn Merrill and Madison Waterhouse.
Grade 5: Chad Bush, Saia Mae Miles, Joshua Oldham and Samantha Packard.
Grade 6: Samuel Bridges, Dean Demmer, Zoey Marie Dow-Cookson and Taylor Folsom.
Photo courtesy of Walter Boomsma
EVERYONE CLOWN AROUND — PCES students surround Anah Shrine clown Gizmo during April 15’s Bikes for Books program.
Photo courtesy of Walter Boomsma
WATCH OUT FOR BICYCLE THIEVES — Diggah and Gizmo getting ready to test drive a couple of bikes.
Photo courtesy of Walter Boomsma
THANKING THE SUPERINTENDENT — Mt. Kineo Lodge Program Coordinator Herb Libby thanks Ann Kirkpatrick, superintendent of SAD 4, for the privilege of conducting the Bikes for Books program.