Community Fund Awarded to Riverdale Elementary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      

January 28, 2009                                        

Contact: Tim Street

(419) 673-7289                            

tstreet@midohioenergy.com

Riverdale Elementary Looks to Accelerate Enthusiasm for Reading

KENTON, OH – Riverdale Elementary strives to give every student the best possible education while enriching students’ learning opportunities.  The school’s Accelerated Reader program aims to increase students’ outside-of-school learning opportunities by creating enthusiasm for reading. 

Accelerated reader uses quizzes, feedback, and individual progress reports to improve reading skills and enjoyment.  Students are given incentives for the books they read at their independent levels of interest.  Those who reach certain points levels, given for completion of a book and its quiz, are awarded with prizes to encourage them to continue.  Students who reach 100 points or more are rewarded with a recognition dinner at the end of the school year.

The school recently received a $1,000 grant from Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative’s Community Fund program to expand the Accelerated Reader program. An additional 100 books will be purchased for the elementary library, along with related program quizzes and supplies.

Mid-Ohio Energy is proud to be able to support the school’s efforts.  “Our cooperative members participate in a voluntary program which allows their electric bills to be rounded to the next-highest dollar,” said Mid-Ohio’s Director of Marketing and Member Services Tim Street.  “The funds are then used to provide grants which help organizations in our service territory and surrounding areas.”  An independent nine-member board is responsible for reviewing and awarding the grants to qualified applicants.