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Illinois Valley

Sixth graders pick “Parachute Kid” in reading program

Book wins statewide; school gets grant for book collection

Putnam County Junior High School sixth grade students TJ Kramarsic (back row, from left), Bryson Smith, Jaxon Zuniga, Blake Richardson, Reese Lenkaistis, Sophia Lozano, Alina Aguilar, sixth grade ELA teacher Amy Carboni, school media paraprofessional Debbie Thompson (middle row), students Josie Heeley, Penny Bird, Madelyn Keigley, Madelyn Holst, Addi Bickett, Trey Soule, Arya King (front row), Molly Pundsack, Preston Goetz, Austin Grasser, Jack Vice, Phaelynne Messick, Eden Johnson and Kayleigh Bent. Not pictured are students Stella Guisti, Harper Heuser and Braxton Lopez

Putnam County Junior High School sixth grade students TJ Kramarsic (back row, from left), Bryson Smith, Jaxon Zuniga, Blake Richardson, Reese Lenkaistis, Sophia Lozano, Alina Aguilar, sixth grade ELA teacher Amy Carboni, school media paraprofessional Debbie Thompson (middle row), students Josie Heeley, Penny Bird, Madelyn Keigley, Madelyn Holst, Addi Bickett, Trey Soule, Arya King (front row), Molly Pundsack, Preston Goetz, Austin Grasser, Jack Vice, Phaelynne Messick, Eden Johnson and Kayleigh Bent. Not pictured are students Stella Guisti, Harper Heuser and Braxton Lopez (Photo provided by Putnam County Junior High School )

By Kate Santillan

Putnam County Junior High School recently had sixth-grade students participate in the annual Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Award program to encourage student reading and develop statewide children’s literature awareness.

The sixth graders selected “Parachute Kid” as a favorite out of 20 nominated books. The book was also named state winner with 480 votes statewide.

The program was introduced by Putnam County Junior High School ELA teacher Amy Carboni and media paraprofessional Debbie Thompson. The school was also selected to receive a 2025-2026 Readers’ Choice Grant. The grant will go towards buying a set of Rebecca Caudill books from the AISLE/LBSS Endowment Fund.

Students must pass a test and complete a story balloon after reading a book. The report helped students understand parts of the novel.

Students also received a certificate stating they were eligible to attend a party and vote for the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award after reading and reporting on three books. The party invitations were sent to 24 students on Thursday, Feb. 26. The school had 21 students vote and 150 books were read by sixth-grade students.

Cookies, soda and ice cream with toppings were served to celebrate Caudill’s birthday in February. The names of students who read all of her books will be engraved on a plaque. The plaque will be displayed in the school. The sixth graders must finish reading the books by Friday, May 1.

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