|
| For several years, members of St. John's Lodge No. 9 have found ways to make a difference in the lives of young people. Annual scholarships have been issued to students of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras. | | Scholastic awards are also given each year to high school students in the Seattle area to attend the college of their choice. The Lodge looks for young students who might not otherwise be able to attend College without the financial support of the Lodge. We hope that these young minds will make a difference in the future of our City, State, Country, and world. | |  |
Beginning last year the Students at Sacajawea have enjoyed the benefits extended by the members of St. John's. They are improving their reading skills in large part because the Lodge has been the major and driving support for the "accelerated reader" program at the school. The first year of the program saw the Lodge purchase a server and necessary software for the school which the Seattle Public Schools installed some months later. This gave the program a late start but it is up and running strong at this time.
 | | St. John's Lodge No. 9 was presented with a wish list by the school and the Lodge voted to donate the funding required to fulfill every item on the list. On January 23rd Mark Campbell, Charles Tupper, Darrel Womack, Jim Russell, Bill Collison, and Joseph Lund went to the morning School Assembly at Sacajawea and WM Mark Campbell presented the Principal of the school with the check to cover all expenses of the Accelerated Reading Program for the next year. |
What on earth is an accelerated reader book? The elementary school kids know. "You check out a book from your school library or your teacher and you go home and read it. Then you go to a school computer, insert the software and the computer asks you questions about the book. It determines how well you read the book, what you remember, and scores you on your answers." The kids get points for each book and a real sense of accomplishment. They love getting on the computer. And, along with their parents and teachers, they know the grade level of their reading comprehension.
The students and their parents know where this support is coming from.
It is our understanding that the PTSA at Sacajawea Elementary School is matching the funding donated by St. John's Lodge No. 9 to help the school with this program. We feel that this makes a win win program. The kids are the big winners because they are able to get more books for their library and more tests for these books. The School is a winner because it gives it another important tool for helping the students learn and excel. The city is a winner because these children are tomorrows leaders and they are getting an excellent start in their education with the help of this program.
|
