Governor Reads To Kids At Holmes Reading Night
Eagerly awaiting the birth of his first child, Gov. Gary Locke got a headstart on fatherhood Tuesday night.
He read a book to some North Side children - about 200 of them.
Locke’s contribution to Holmes Elementary School’s Family Reading Night was Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, The Places You’ll Go.” Afterward, he was mobbed in the multipurpose room by youthful autograph seekers.
The goal of Holmes’s 8-year-old program is to get lifelong reading habits started early, and Locke drove that message home.
“You can do anything you want if you work hard at it,” he told his young audience. “And reading is one of the things that will take you there.”
Even though Locke is now a “Holmes Hero,” he said the real heroes are parents who read to their children every day.
Locke, 46, is the son of Chinese immigrants. He said his parents didn’t speak or read English very well, but they saw to it that he could. He is now the country’s first governor of Chinese descent.
Other guest readers Tuesday included: Spokane School District 81 Superintendent Gary Livingston, School Board President Nancy Fike, Police Chief Terry Mangan, Superior Court Judge James Murphy, City Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers, TV weatherman Tom Sherry, librarian Rebecca Christensen, Native American storyteller Genieve Friedlander, and the Rev. Percy “Happy” Watkins.
The children and their parents moved from room to room at the school to listen to different stories.
After students had been read five books, they got to select a free book to take home.
The school also did its part to ensure that Gary and Mona Lee Locke have reading material on hand when their baby is born. In addition to presenting him with a “Holmes Hero” certificate, the governor was given two children’s books: “Library” and “Balloon Farm.”
“We want the joy of reading to be part of every student’s life - not just at school but at home, too,” said Holmes Principal Denise Sandbo. “Hopefully, then they will become life-long readers.”
Craft fairs benefit schools
Two upcoming craft fairs will benefit North Side schools:
The Deer Park Junior High crafts fair is Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Various crafts and foods will be sold and the junior high band and choir will perform.
Plus, the Easter Bunny will be making an extra-special, pre-season visit in preparation for his big, busy day at the end of the month.
Shadle Park High School parents are hosting a crafts fair March 15-16 to raise money for the senior class Grad Nite.
About 160 booths will be set up, and concessions will be available. Admission is free.
The fair runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 15 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 16.
Call 325-0990 or 328-6879 for more information.
Madison students gather food
Madison Elementary students collected more than 2,500 items of food for the Spokane Food Bank during February.
“That’s a lot of food,” said principal Julius Presta.
The food bank is traditionally bare and strapped this time of year, noticed parent Dianna Eaton. She talked the Parent Advisory Committee into organizing the food drive.
LeeAnn Kelly’s fourth grade class was the most prolific, collecting 700 cans. John Corigliano’s fifth grade class garnered 460. Parent Jan Clark single-handed gathered about 300 items.
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