Reading College students make Smile Cookies at local Tim Hortons restaurant with instructor Sharon Ferguson (right). (rdnewsNOW/Sheldon Spackman)

By Alessia Proietti and Sheldon Spackman

September 19-25

Sweet generosity with Smile Cookies for Red Deer’s Reading College

Sep 20, 2022 | 4:30 PM

Red Deerians are smiling all week long with Tim Hortons’ Smile Cookies campaign raising funds for the local summer Reading College program.

From September 19-25, Tim Hortons restaurant owners in Red Deer will be donating all proceeds from the sales of a special $1 smiling chocolate chunk cookie to the program.

READ: Inspiring kids to read, write and succeed through Smile Cookies

“Smile Cookies is this wonderful opportunity to come together to raise funds for a group or a cause in a local community that keeps the money right here in Red Deer,” said Tanya Doucette, local Tim Hortons owner.

Smile Cookies being made by Reading College students at a local Tim Hortons restaurant on Tuesday. (rdnewsNOW/Sheldon Spackman)

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Run by the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools, the program allows Grade 2 students to improve their reading and writing skills during a period of 20 days in July while simultaneously enjoying other summer activities and concluding with a graduation ceremony.

“What happens at the Grade 2 to Grade 3 level is you transition from being in a place where you’re learning to read to where you actually need to be able to read to learn,” she said. “It [Reading College] helps them not only set up for success later in their education but in their careers as well. What could be better than being part of that foundational learning experience?”

This year, 66 students graduated from the Reading College, confirms Kristine Plastow, Foundation Board Chair.

READ: Reading College celebrates 11th graduation

Acknowledging the support from the restaurant chain and the community, she says the campaign is one of her favorite times of the year.

“To see the kids and hear that they still remember and how much they enjoyed it and learned at Reading College; it’s a great day,” she said.

“We’ve seen over 600 kids go through Reading College in our 11^th year that we just finished this past summer.”

For Reading College instructor Sharon Ferguson, she says the program not only creates comradery among students but is well worth every second spent. As a literacy coach, she says she taught word work, focusing on reading phonetically by learning how to spell and sound words out properly.

“When I was approached to teach, everyone said, ‘you love summer; why would you give up summer?’ Well, it’s well worth it to spend time with these kids. The month is full of fun and action, learning and it’s so rewarding to see the growth of the kids and how much they love to learn. They give up a month of their summer too,” she said.

In July, officials confirmed the program costs roughly $100,000 each year to run. City councillor and Executive Director for the foundation Bruce Buruma stated that without donations, the program would cost families roughly $2,000 per student.

READ: Reading College attracts 66 Grade 2s for 11th year