Villacorta Elementary Opens Wonder of Reading Library October 11

 

LA PUENTE, CA – OCTOBER 8, 2007 – Students and families from Villacorta Elementary School are anxious for the doors of discovery to open – the Wonder of Reading: Library to Discovery will hold it’s grand opening celebration on Thursday, October 11 at 10 a.m.  Villacorta Elementary School raised more than $35,000 to match a donation by The Wonder of Reading, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring the love of reading in children.

“The Villacorta staff and I share the philosophy that reading is the gateway to success for everyone and thanks to The Wonder of Reading and our school sponsor, The Walt Disney Company, this library opens the door to promote the love of reading to our students and school community,” said Villacorta Principal, Elaine Ganiko. “The theme of our new facility is W.O.R.L.D. or Wonder of Reading: Library to Discovery; discovering the world one book at a time.”

The new library features more than $10,000 worth of new books and engages students with cozy reading corners, where they can “flop” and read on bean bags. A mini amphitheater with steps provides the perfect place for storytelling by staff and volunteers. Individual study carrels are available for volunteers, trained by The Wonder of Reading, to work with students who struggle with reading skills. These one-on-one sessions will be held for an hour a week during the school day for the entire academic year.

“We at The Walt Disney Company are thrilled to be a part of this library dedication ceremony and support such an important aspect of a child's development,” expressed Jeff Hoffman, Vice President, Disney Worldwide Outreach. “The new library will provide a place for students where they can enrich their knowledge and engage their imagination through thousands of books as well as strengthen their reading skills with the help of caring individuals who will volunteer their time to this wonderful program.”

 The grand opening ceremony will feature a school wide celebration with student song and essay performances, followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony.

This will be the third Wonder of Reading Library to open in the Rowland Unified School District.  In an effort to continue to expand and renovate school facilities, four more Wonder of Reading Libraries are planned to open by the end of 2008.

The Wonder of Reading  transforms libraries into vibrant centers of learning through implementation of the 3R Program – Renovate, Restock and Read. The organization expands and renovates school libraries to make them more useful and inviting, restocks them with new books, and trains volunteers to work with below grade-level readers.   For more information about The Wonder of Reading and its programs, please visit their website at www.wonderofreading.org.

Villacorta Elementary School is located at 17840 E. Villacorta in La Puente. If you are interested in becoming a Wonder of Reading Volunteer or would like to make a donation to the ongoing fundraising efforts, please contact Principal Elaine Ganiko at (626) 964-2385.

The Rowland Unified School District is proud to serve 17,500 students at 23 elementary and secondary schools in the communities of Rowland Heights, Walnut, La Puente, City of Industry, and West Covina. Permits allow students from other communities to attend our schools. More than 5,000 adults (16+) are also served by the Rowland Adult and Community Education School. For more information about Rowland Unified, call (626) 965-2541 or visit www.RowlandSchools.org.

Disney brightens the lives of children in need around the world through global outreach programs, local community initiatives and the Disney VoluntEARS program. Last year, Disney donated more than $170 million in cash and in-kind support to various charities around the world. Disney VoluntEARS contributed more than 485,000 hours of service and the company drew upon its unique magic to make wishes come true for children and families. The Disney VoluntEARS program provides opportunities for Disney employees to contribute their time and expertise towards making a positive impact in the communities they serve while furthering the traditions and ideals of The Walt Disney Company. For more information on Disney’s outreach efforts, please visit www.disneyoutreach.com.

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