(GREAT FALLS, Mont.) – The Voyagers “9 Innings of Reading Program” presented by the Great Falls Voyagers and sponsored by Noodle Express and Great Falls College, is off to a strong start in 2014. During the first three weeks of the program there has been close to 5,000 total prizes awarded to students who have reached their reading goals at Lewis and Clark, Mountain View, Whittier, Valley View, Roosevelt, Belt, Sunnyside, and Meadow Lark Elementary Schools.
“We are excited about the response that we have already received for the first three weeks of this program,” said Scott Lettre, Director of Sales, “We love to see the local elementary school students get excited about reading.”
The Voyagers look to award around 15,000 prizes to these local elementary school students by the end of the 9-week long reading program that will end on May 9th. Starting the week of May 12th, the Voyagers will be throwing a pizza party at each school. All students who completed all 9 innings of the program will receive an invitation to this pizza party, with special guest, Orbit.
Each week during the program, students from these schools have certain goals to reach based on what grade they are in. These goals are then divided by difficulty into four categories: single, double, triple, and home run. Each student is able to win a prize depending on what category they meet.
Prizes for the 2014 reading program include a pencil, bookmark, notebook, luggage tag, eraser bracelet, water bottle, and a free youth ticket to one of our four reading program days during the 2014 season. The reading program dates at the field are June 24th, July 12th, August 7th, and August 29th.
The reading program is currently in its second year. During the first year in 2013, there were five local elementary schools that participated.
“I really think the program was wonderful,” said Jennifer Crisman, Mountain View Elementary Librarian about the first year of the program, “Anytime we can get students excited about reading and continue to read solidly for nine straight weeks, we are definitely accomplishing a beautiful goal.”
The Voyagers are excited to partner with local school districts for this program, along with sponsors Noodle Express and Great Falls College.
The Voyagers will open their season June 16th against the Billings Mustangs on the road and will open at home on June 21st against the Billings Mustangs.
This article originally appeared on the official website of the Great Falls Voyagers. Click here to view the original story.