Excitement filled the air at St. Monica School on February 26, 2024, as students had the unique opportunity to meet their hockey idols from the Calgary Flames thanks to the Flames Foundation’s long standing partnership with our Reading…Give it a Shot! program.
The school’s gymnasium, usually filled with the sounds of basketballs bouncing or children playing, was instead buzzing with the energy of an enthusiastic crowd of young readers eager to see the players in person. This particular visit saw Flames’ players Blake Coleman and Jakob Pelletier, along with Calgary Flames’ mascot Harvey the Hound, engaging with the students in a day filled with stories, questions, and laughter. The players shared their favourite books, highlighting the importance of reading, and signed autographs for the eager students, leaving a lasting impression on the young readers.
“Each year the Flames visit one of the schools participating in our program,” said Shelley Forbes, TEPF’s Manager, Events and Literacy Programs. “It’s always an exciting event for the students because they have the opportunity to ask questions and hear about the role of reading in the players’ lives. And of course they love seeing Harvey the Hound. He usually steals the show.”
Reading…Give it a Shot! is TEPF’s longest-running literacy program, launched in 1995. The program is aimed at motivating children to embrace reading by tracking their reading minutes, which in turn earns them literacy collector cards featuring themes such as Calgary Flames, Species at Risk, Canadian Wildlife, and Dinosaurs.
The initiative not only supports literacy through enjoyable and relatable means but also uses a cross-curriculum approach that includes tailored lesson plans from the TEPF Teacher Tool Kit to support other learning outcomes. This holistic method ensures that students are not only practicing reading but are also comprehending and integrating the knowledge they acquire.
At St. Monica School, the successful event was thanks to the joint efforts of Principal Stephen Jez and Vice Principal Drew Martin, who were crucial in coordinating the visit. Additionally, Inspector Colleen Bowers along with Sergeants Jas Kainth, Cyril Pratt, and Laszlo Horvath from local law enforcement, attended the event, showing their commitment to supporting local youth and educational initiatives.
The Reading…Give it a Shot! program is part of a broader effort to tackle the challenges many Canadian children face, such as prioritizing basic needs over educational tools and resources, especially in high-needs environments. Programs like these not only enhance literacy but also aim to reduce poverty, boost labour market participation, and contribute to positive health outcomes.
If you are a teacher, interested in participating in this free, fun and educational program, you can sign up for the Reading…Give It A Shot! program here.
Help us continue to inspire and educate the future leaders of our community. Your donation to The Educational Partnership Foundation supports vital programs like Reading…Give it a Shot! that not only promote literacy but overall educational enthusiasm among students. Every contribution makes a difference.
