Paws and Pages with Parker: Inspiring first graders to read
First grader Elleana Stearns-Van Horn and her classmates react Friday to the Paws and Pages with Parker program that distributed more than 600 plush puppy reading buddies across the school district to encourage all first graders to be strong readers by the end of the school year.
Courtesy photo
Jethro Konegni and Elleana Stearns-Van Horn play with their new reading buddies Friday during the Paws and Pages with Parker event that distributed more than 600 stuffed animals that will help first graders set, track, and celebrate reading goals.
Courtesy photo
Reading sparks imagination, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.
A child’s early experiences with books can shape how they feel about reading for years to come.
This fall, every first grade student in the Coeur d’Alene School District will receive a special reading buddy to help set, track and celebrate reading goals. Thanks to a grant called “Paws and Pages with Parker,” more than 600 plush puppies — each complete with a collar, bone and accessories — were “unleashed” Friday at elementary schools across the district.
“The EXCEL Foundation is honored to help bring innovative, hands-on learning projects like Paws and Pages with Parker to life,” Tracy Weimer-Shull, EXCEL Foundation board president, said in a recent news release.
“Our mission has always been to support teachers who think outside the box and inspire students in creative ways," Weimer-Shull said. "Watching first graders light up as they connect reading with joy and imagination is exactly why EXCEL exists.”
The program is made possible through a partnership between the EXCEL Foundation, a local nonprofit that funds innovative classroom projects, and Parker Automotive, which helped outfit each first grader with their puppy companions.
“We’re thrilled to support the Paws and Pages with Parker program and partner with EXCEL Foundation,” Parker Automotive's Isaac Reinert said. “At Parker, we believe in giving back to the community, and helping young students discover the joy of reading is something we’re especially proud to be part of. Seeing the excitement these first graders have when they receive their puppy and open a book is what makes this partnership so meaningful.”
Designed to inspire a love of reading, the program supports the district’s goal for all first graders to read fluently by the end of the school year. Students will practice the First Grade English Language Arts Reading Foundational Skills Standards, focusing on accuracy, comprehension, expression and self-correction while reading to their new furry friends.
“The joy on our students’ faces when they meet their new reading buddy is priceless,” said Karen Adams, a first grade teacher at Atlas Elementary School. “Having a special puppy to read with gives first graders a purpose and excitement about books, turning reading time into one of the best parts of their day. Programs like Paws and Pages with Parker make reading meaningful and engaging while building fluency, confidence and a love for reading that will support their success well beyond first grade.”
Through Parker Automotive’s generous support, the EXCEL Foundation distributed more than $10,000 in puppies and reading accessories to classrooms across the district, helping educators create new, creative ways to encourage reading both at school and at home.
The EXCEL Foundation is powered by local volunteers and has been funding innovative teaching projects for nearly 40 years, investing more than $3 million in Coeur d’Alene classrooms since 1987.
Info: excelfoundation.org
Jethro Konegni and Elleana Stearns-Van Horn play with their new reading buddies Friday during the Paws and Pages with Parker event that distributed more than 600 stuffed animals that will help first graders set, track, and celebrate reading goals.