District 200 Partners With Nonprofit to Reward Students for Reading, Promote Literacy

Students in Community Unit School District 200 will be rewarded for reading next week as they raise money for new books and to help adults with their literacy skills.

Literacy DuPage has partnered with District 200 to participate in its inaugural "Bucks For Books 2013 Reading Program" and fundraiser running Feb. 11-17. The District-wide fundraising opportunity will reward students for reading, benefit elementary classrooms and give back to the community.

Elementary school students in District 200 will read as much as they can at school and at home as they find sponsors to help raise money. With the money collected, teachers will be able to purchase special reward books for their own classrooms, and supplemental reading materials will be purchased for the elementary schools, according to a press release from Literacy DuPage. Literacy DuPage will also receive a portion of the funds to continue assisting adults with low-level literacy. 

Tana Tatnall, Literacy DuPage Executive Director said in a statement, “Our organization was founded in 1972 by two Wheaton residents. It is our hope that this reading program will bring about heightened awareness of the need for adult education and the critical role parents have in the development of children’s literacy skills.  

"Partnering with District 200 is a fitting way to promote our vision to literally change lives and impact future generations," she said.

Faith Dahlquist, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for District 200 said in a statement, “We are glad to partner with Literacy DuPage to promote reading in the community. Bucks For Books provides incentives for our youngest readers while also modeling the importance of developing adult literacy.”

A local nonprofit serving all of DuPage County, Literacy DuPage provides accessible and customized one-on-one English language tutoring to adults with low-level literacy skills who are unable to access classroom instruction. Last year Literacy DuPage served 550 adults with its more than 400 trained tutors, putting it as the second largest volunteer literacy program in the nation, according to the release.

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