Launch of Bay of Quinte Riding Canada 150 Literacy program at Sagonaska Demonstration School, Belleville January 23, 2017. (Photo: submitted)
Bay of Quinte MP Neil Ellis was joined by several community leaders in support of the “Bay of Quinte Canada 150 Literacy Challenge” for a school-wide reading event at the Sagonaska Demonstration School in Belleville on Monday.
Ellis says it was the launch of a months-long program engaging people to read and celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday on July first.
He says it will be held at various schools throughout the riding and is aimed at celebrating Canadian authors, and particularly those in the riding.
He says it’s a way of having leaders in the community engage with the young people in the schools.
Ellis says, “The whole idea of the school wide Canada 150 Literacy Challenge event came to be during a visit to the Civics Class at the Sagonaska Demonstration School. The concept was immediately embraced by teachers Gayle Miller and Alana McGilly who enthusiastically offered to help plan and coordinate the event. Seeing the level of enthusiasm on the part of faculty and students and potential to encourage the students to take on the challenge I offered to find special guest readers from the community. The response on the part of our guest readers was amazing. It is very gratifying to see so many respected community leaders come out in support of the Bay of Quinte Canada 150 Literacy Challenge.”
Police Chief Ron Gignac, one of the participants, says “You can’t speak that which you do not know. You can’t pass along that which you do not have. To speak it and share it so it’s understood you must possess it. Good communication starts with good preparation and that means reading, understanding, and reading more. Leaders are readers. MP Ellis’s Canada 150 Literacy Challenge is a wonderful way to encourage the young people in our lives to embrace reading and develop literacy skills that are so essential to success and prosperity, and all the while promoting and building an appreciation for our great Nation’s 150th Birthday. MP Ellis’s reading program is a wonderful concept and one that I am proud to support and endorse.”
