Coral Canyon Elementary School students pose with new bicycles won in the "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
WASHINGTON CITY — Twelve Coral Canyon Elementary School students – a boy and a girl from each grade level – received new bicycles at the end of the school year, thanks to the inaugural “Bikes for Books” program sponsored by the St. George Masonic Lodge No. 33.
At a schoolwide assembly Friday morning, a dozen lodge members were on hand to present the bikes to the winners, who were randomly selected from among the many hundreds of entry tickets submitted throughout the school year. Students received a ticket each time they read a book and filled out a short entry form.
One of the winners, fifth-grader Madisyn Crandall, said she didn’t know how many books she read, but it was “a lot.” Her favorite book was “Tuck Everlasting,” she said.
Computer lab teacher Suzie Christensen, who spearheaded and oversaw the reading incentive program, said Crandall was one of numerous students who were able to bring their reading scores up by at least one grade level or more.
Before announcing the winners, David Reinitz, the St. George Masonic Lodge’s senior warden, thanked the students for participating.
“All of you are winners because the purpose for having this program is to have you be better readers and love books,” Reinitz said. “I’m really proud of you. You have worked so hard and read so many books this year. If you didn’t win a bike, we’re going to do this again next year.”
The following students were named the winners, with each receiving a bicycle, a helmet and a T-shirt: kindergartners Jayce McKinney and Malea Coats, first-graders Kolio Lafaele and Lucy Hendrickson, second-graders Cayden Trimble and Paizley Torres, third-graders Corbin Conner and Kennilee Spenlove, fourth-graders Jaxon Lay and Taycee Hintze and fifth-graders Parker Orr and Madisyn Crandall.
In addition to repeating the program at Coral Canyon next year, Reinitz said the St. George Masonic Lodge is planning to expand it to three other schools as well.
Coral Canyon Principal Jennifer Eggleston said the school’s reading scores as a whole saw a notable increase this year, and the improvement in literacy has also helped the school succeed in other areas.
Warrin Richins, the school’s Title 1 site coordinator, noted that Coral Canyon Elementary recently joined an elite group of schools in the state that have been officially designated as state STEM schools, in recognition of their rigorous program focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“Our school has had a very big year with computer science and STEM,” Richins said, noting that Coral Canyon is the first elementary school to be a STEM partner with Utah State University Extension. The school also received nearly $100,000 in grant funds from the Utah STEM Action Center to go toward computer science, had half of its faculty attend a computer science educators conference and started a popular STEM Adventure after-school club.
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Students gather at a schoolwide assembly recognizing the winners of Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
St. George Masonic Lodge members prepare new bikes given as prizes in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
St. George Masonic Lodge senior warden David Reinitz thanks students for participating in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Kindergartner Jayce McKinney poses after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Kindergartner Malea Coats won a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
A few of the winners of new bikes in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
First-grader Kolio Lafaele poses after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
First-grader Kolio Lafaele gets his new helmet adjusted by Warrin Richins. Lafaele won a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
First-grader Lucy Hendrickson poses after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Second-grader Cayden Trimble poses after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Second-grader Paizley Torres reacts after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Third-grader Corbin Conner reacts after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Third-grader Kennilee Spenlove poses after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Coral Canyon Elementary School's winners in its "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Suzie Christensen receives flowers from St. George Masonic Lodge senior warden David Reinitz as thanks for her work with Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Coral Canyon Elementary School students pose with new bicycles won in the "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Coral Canyon Elementary School students pose with new bicycles won in the "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Fourth-grader Jaxon Lay poses after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Fourth-grader Taycee Hintze poses with family members after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Fifth-grader Parker Orr poses after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Fifth-grader Madisyn Crandall reacts after her name was announced as the winner of a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Fifth-grader Madisyn Crandall is congratulated by David Reinitz after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Fifth-grader Madisyn Crandall hugs Suzie Christensen after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Fifth-grader Madisyn Crandall poses with Suzie Christensen after winning a new bike in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Fifth-grader Madisyn Crandall rides the new bike she won in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Kindergartner Malea Coats rides the new bike she won in Coral Canyon Elementary's "Bikes for Books" program, Washington City, Utah, May 18, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have two young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.
the freemasons huh… makes me wonder