Project Read-A-Lot at New Prague High School
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. -- Sam Scheffler and Lucas Kivi stand in front of the classroom holding a copy of the book, "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell and contributor Patrick Robinson.
This is an AP History class, and the book has nothing to do with what's being taught, but it has everything to do with turning these students into lifelong readers.
Scheffler and Kivi are in the class to give their review of the book and tell students why they thought it was a good read.
"It's hard as an English teacher to see kids groan when they have to read," said Language Arts Teacher Rachel Harmon.
Harmon was tapped to teach struggling readers at New Prague High School. She quickly came to the conclusion the best route to igniting a passion for reading among these students was through their peers.
Last spring, Harmon sought out some of her most avid student readers and asked them if they would be interested in being student book reviewers for their peers. More than twenty signed up for the program dubbed "Project Read-A-Lot."
"We have to write book reviews, and we have to do at least one book talk in one of Mrs. Harmon's classes," explained Ashley Larson, a senior who also works at the local library.
In addition to giving a "book talk" in Harmon's class, students seek out other classrooms as well, including Linnea Hautman's Family and Consumer Science classes.
"I just think it's important that the reading and the writing is across all," said Hautman. "So I encourage it in my classroom, just like the other teachers do."
The school also carves out twenty minutes twice a week for students to read in class, and it's not unusual that book is one the "Project Read-A-Lot" students recommended.
"I definitely have people come up to me and ask me, do you have anymore books from 'Project Read-A-Lot' and I'm, like, 'you can go check out your own, too,'" said senior Shelly Staley.
Those books fill a cart Harmon stations at various locations throughout the school for students to access. Most were purchased with the help of a $1000 grant from the district's education foundation.
"Even the first week that we had Project Read, there was a sign up sheet that was full of books that were already checked out," said junior Danni Barr.
The number of student reviewers continues to grow, too, with nearly 60 at last count.
Harmon is excited for the future of the program, and the doors it could ultimately open for the students at New Prague High School.
"For them to be able to see, we're not just here in New Prague. There's a bigger world out there," said Harmon.
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:
Here are the three books New Prague students were recommending to their peers while KARE 11 was at the school:
"Lone Survivor:The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10" by Marcus Luttrell and contributor Patrick Robinson
"The Dead and Gone" by Susan Pfeffer
"13 Reasons Why" by Jay Asher
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All rights reserved.)