LAURINBURG — In a tradition that has been going on for many years, the Rotary Club of Laurinburg gives the gift of a book to all of the third-graders in Scotland County.
For many years the club gave each student a dictionary to have as their own, but now with students having Chromebooks and more technology at their fingertips the club has moved to books for the students to read.
The book was chosen in collaboration with the schools and Superintendent Ron Hargrave from a list of reading materials for the age group. This year’s book is “Sideways Stories from Wayside School” by Louis Sachar and Julie Brinckloe with illustrations by Adam McCauley.
Rotary Club President Paul Tate hopes that getting the books will inspire the students.
“Anything we can do to help inspire them to read, we want to do,” Tate said. “Some of these students have never owned a book so we hope it creates some excitement. It also helps promote literacy in our schools that they can take the books home with them and that it’s theirs to pass down to their children later.”
In Scotland County, the schools are working on many different literacy programs to help improve literacy in students, as it’s needed to help them in almost all subjects.
Scotland County School Public Information Officer Meredith Bounds says that the students are given the books just before Christmas break and is happy with the continued partnership with the Rotary Club.
“Good reading skills and habits affect everything from math to science and are needed for everything,” Bounds said. “Many students don’t have access to books at home or can’t get to the library so it creates a sense of ownership that this is their book and it’s an excitement for them. We’re grateful for the Rotary Club not just for this but for everything they do for the schools and the third graders will always treasure this gift.”
Tate hopes that the students will get the sense of importance with the books and will read instead of watching TV or movies that aren’t promoting education.
“With movies and television shows at the tip of their fingers it’s easy not to but reading is a different aspect,” Tate said. “It helps promote the ability not only to read but from an education, perspective helps with grammar and with their creative thoughts.”