Summer Literacy Camps Teach a Life-Long Love of Reading in Students
Released on July 24, 2018
Summer literacy camps are well underway for more than 1,200 students across the
province. These camps encourage students to continue reading over the summer months while having fun and interactive learning experiences.
“These camps instill a life-long love of reading in children with a focus on First Nations and Métis students,” Deputy Premier and Minister of Education Gordon Wyant said. “The camps maintain and enhance the literacy skills students learned during the school year and help prepare them for classes in the fall.”
The camps are meant to be culturally relevant and have visits from parents and Elders to lead activities and support a community-based approach to learning. At the end of the camp, students are encouraged to further develop their literacy skills by taking home the books they read to continue building a love of reading.
“Literacy camps are an integral part of our communities. They provide free books and fun for campers in communities where there are often few alternatives; in addition to this the camps create employment for community members,” Saskatchewan Summer Literacy Camp Facilitator for the Northern Lights School Division Robert Dolan said. “Literacy Camps also prevent summer reading loss, which supports the Education Sector Strategic Plan outcome of 80 per cent of students reading at or above grade level by 2020.”
The camps offer First Nations content and have presentations with Elders. At least 65 First Nations content books were purchased for each location.
“I like the books, and the games; I like everything!” Camp participant Etienne Divinagracia said.
There are 20 camps for students aged five to 15 throughout July and August across the province. Northern Lights School Division hosts 14 of the 20 camps. The other camps are run by Prince Albert Roman Catholic, Saskatchewan Rivers, Creighton, Ile-à-la Crosse, Light of Christ, Living Sky, Northern Lights and Prairie Valley school divisions. The Government of Saskatchewan is providing $500,000 to run these camps for a total investment of more than $4.5 million over the past nine years the camps have been running. The ministry also provided $45,000 to Frontier College to support summer literacy camps delivered on Ahtahkakoop and Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nations.
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For more information, contact:
Chris Hodges
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1069
Email: chris.hodges@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-533-7506
Celebrating Library Week Across The Province
Released on October 16, 2018
The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed October 14-20 as Saskatchewan
Library Week to celebrate the contribution libraries make in the lives of residents. This year’s theme is “Libraries Transform” as libraries can open a world of knowledge to their users.
“Libraries provide valuable services in our province and in the many communities they serve as gathering spaces,” Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant said. “I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to visit their local library to explore the programs and resources they have available.”
Saskatchewan Library Week is a province-wide, annual event that promotes the
services that our more than 1,200 public, school and post-secondary libraries have to offer. The Saskatchewan Library Association (SLA) has proudly presented this week-long celebration throughout the province since 1976.
“The Saskatchewan Library Association is proud to continue supporting Saskatchewan Library Week,” SLA President Alison Jantz said. “This year, libraries are celebrating this important week with exceptional programming and we congratulate the dedicated library workers for their contribution.”
Overall, there are more than 20 events planned throughout the province to help
celebrate Saskatchewan Library Week. Some of the events include a Book Spine
Poetry contest put on by the SLA that uses the spines of library books to spell out
poems. Last year’s event attracted more than 1,000 entries. Another example is the
Pahkisimon Nuye?áh Library System, which will host library readings and workshops with Zoey Roy in Buffalo Narrows, Île-à-la-Crosse and Beauval libraries. There is also a teen essay contest that asks the question: “How Has Your Library Transformed Your Life in Your Community?” This contest is sponsored by the Saskatchewan Library Trustees’ Association. For more information about library week related programs and events, please visit https://saskla.ca/programs/slw.
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For more information, contact:
Chris Hodges
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1069
Email: chris.hodges@gov.sk.ca
Anne Pennylegion
Saskatchewan Library Association
Regina
Phone: 306-780-9409
Email: slaprograms@sasktel.net