The Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward’s Rescue Readers program continues to grow.
Bay of Quinte MPP and Education Minister Todd Smith joined Katherine MacIver, HPEDSB Director of Education, local Rotary presidents and students from Belleville’s Queen Elizabeth School at the Humane Society on Wednesday to celebrate the expansion of the program.
Rescue Readers is geared to elementary students, helping them gain knowledge about animal care, and supports the development of literacy skills and empathy.
Students are welcomed to the shelter by staff and introduced to the basics of animal care and shelter life and then given a tour and a chance to read to animals in care.
The program was run as a pilot project for two years and has now welcomed several dozen classes from around the season.
It recently received support from Rotary Clubs of Belleville and Trenton and discussions are ongoing with Hastings Prince Edward District School Board on ways to deliver the program to more classes in the future.
Queen Elizabeth grade 3/4 teacher Laura Brown-Bowers says, “Not only does the program give students a chance to read aloud to an audience that listens without judgement or correction, but it really helps them develop empathy.”
