Student mentors wave goodbye to their graduates online following completion of this year's Reading College program. 50 students graduated this year. (Red Deer Public Schools)

By Sheldon Spackman

Graduation Day

50 students celebrate Reading College graduation

Jul 31, 2020 | 4:36 PM

Virtual celebrations took place on Friday for 50 Red Deer Public School students who graduated from this year’s summer Reading College.

Normally held at Red Deer College (RDC) each year, this year of course was done virtually in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elvy Goring, Program Coordinator for the Reading College, commended the students for their resilience through online learning over the past month, and noted the Reading College wouldn’t exist if not for the Foundation from Red Deer Public Schools.

“We are so incredibly proud of our Reading College program,” said Bruce Buruma, Executive Director for The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. “This year, we will have almost 500 student graduates from this program, and I know it’s made a big difference for those students. There’s no doubt it’s focusing on literacy, but it’s also about equity and fairness and providing students with best opportunities for them to succeed.”

Buruma also highlighted the critical support from sponsors that helps make the Reading College a success, such as Central Alberta Optimist Clubs, Glenn Turple and The Chapman Literacy Endowment Fund, RDC, local Tim Hortons, the Red Deer Rebels, Rosemary Congdon, Elizabeth Wilson, and proud supporters Prairie Bus Lines and Chartwells.

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Cilantro & Chive was also thanked for choosing to donate proceeds from their burger of the month in July to the Reading College program.

With this year’s program being entirely online, Goring was surprised at how well it turned out to be.

“Each morning the teachers held two small group sessions over Google Meet, that included guided reading, word work, and writing,” she explained. “We also met with individual students daily, to target specific needs. But it wasn’t all hard work, we had some fun too!”

Coordinator Sue Carmichael noted significant changes in the students that took part.

“They’ve developed their skills and confidence as readers and writers, and learned so many new sight words,” she proclaimed. “The sky is the limit for these students!”

Buruma concluded that it’s absolutely critical to inspire children to read and write.

“Hopefully through Reading College, you’re more excited and motivated about all the possibilities that come with reading,” he surmised. “One of the best predictors of high school completion is whether or not students are at reading level at the end of Grade 3. Those early years are learning to read, but afterwards, it’s reading to learn.”