Literacy efforts spark love for reading in Troy students

Students at Troy Community School District 30-C have many opportunities to engage with the printed word, according to news releases from the school district.

Forty fifth and sixth grade students belong to the Wild Readers Book Club at William B. Orenic Intermediate School. Lilyanna Plascencia, sixth grade ELA teacher and basketball coach, gathers with the students to read and discuss a diverse selection of books.

Books the group read this year include “Maniac Magee,” by Jerry Spinelli and “A Night Divided,” by Jennifer Nielsen. They also read a survival story in March and a fantasy novel in April.

Several students gave presentations to the group based on the books. For instance, Kay’Lani Kirkwood made a shadow box of a scene featuring the Berlin Wall.

Troy elementary schools participated in “One School, One Book” this year. This program is offered by Read to Them, a nonprofit organization that promotes family literacy, according to its website.

Troy Cronin Elementary read “Charlotte’s Web,” by E.B. White; Troy Hofer Elementary read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” by Roald Dahl; Troy Heritage Trail Elementary read “Ways to Make Sunshine,” by Rene Watson; Troy Shorewood Elementary read, “The Chocolate Touch,” by Patrick Skene Catling.

Finally the Shorewood Troy Public Library recently donated approximately 50 non-fiction and picture books, mostly bilingual and in excellent condition, to Troy schools. Some books are monolingual Spanish, Polish and French.

“The library’s generous donations come at a time when resources are the most needed for our bilingual and EL students,” Karina Ochoa, Troy’s director of multilingual services, said in the release. “These books will be beneficial for their ongoing learning. As a school district, our hope is to further augment our collaboration.”

For more information, visit troy30c.org, shorewoodtroylibrary.org and readtothem.org.