Yellowknife school to receive $30k in literacy funding

A Yellowknife school will be receiving a major boost to their literacy efforts.

June 4^th is marked as Literacy Fund Grant Day by the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, which helps schools across Canada improve their libraries and gain better access to literacy programs. The Foundation is committing more than $1.8 million to fifty different schools in Canada.

One of those schools is Range Lake North School in Yellowknife, which will be receiving a donation of $30,000.

Kim McKnight, the librarian at Range Lake North, said in a statement that “Our school library is an important resource for student learning, literacy, and creativity, but many of our books and materials are outdated, worn, and heavily used.

“This grant will help us update our collection with current, engaging, and inclusive books that better support today’s curriculum and reflect the diverse interests and experiences of our children. Renewing our library would encourage a love of reading, support academic success, and create a welcoming space where all can learn and grow.”

Since the organization’s founding in 2004, the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation has committed $30,458,000 to over 500 Canadian schools. As budgets shrink and fewer schools employ librarians, school book collections are both sparse and woefully outdated. Not only are there not enough books for students, the viewpoints and topics are outdated and do not reflect the experiences, histories and identities of students today.