Canyon State Academy: Love of Reading Project

February 12, 2013—August 8, 2013
Queen Creek, Arizona

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Kids Need to Read partnered with Canyon State Academy to help present “Love of Reading,” a project beginning in February 2013 and culminating with graduation ceremonies in August 2013. Canyon State Academy is an incredible school located in Queen Creek, Arizona doing great things for troubled young men. Providing inspiring books to the school library, classrooms, and the middle school students, as well as contributing engaging presentations, it was an honor for Kids Need to Read to facilitate this literacy project as part of the Reading Revolution program.

Photographs © Denise Gary

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In February, Denise presented The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and Paths to Peace: People Who Changed the World to the middle school students. KNTR provided copies of the books for the students to keep. Prior to these presentations, KNTR provided students with their own copies of two book titles correlating to their black history studies. © Elizabeth Gonzalez KNTR presented comic books and superheroes from Project Hero, Justice League Arizona, and Arizona Avengers later in February. © Elizabeth Gonzalez A Dr Seuss celebration, complete with green eggs and ham, was served up in April. © Denise Gary © Denise Gary © Denise Gary Principal Elizabeth Gonzalez dressed the part and fried the ham. © Denise Gary KNTR provided copies of The Lorax to each of the participating students. © Denise Gary The high school students read the book to younger students. © Denise Gary After the reading, everyone ate green eggs and ham! © Denise Gary The high school students shared excellent information about preparing for college with the younger students. © Denise Gary © Denise Gary Kids Need to Read was invited to attend a special Cinco de Mayo celebration at the school. Here, some of the students participate in the dancing. © Denise Gary © Denise Gary © Denise Gary The Folklorico dancers at the event only perform for Canyon State Academy students, infusing their stories and dances with uplifting messages. © Denise Gary © Denise Gary © Denise Gary © Denise Gary © Denise Gary It was a joyful celebration of culture! © Denise Gary During the Dr Seuss event, a young man asked Denise if KNTR had a book about Harry Houdini. Denise surprised him in June with a fantastic book about The Great Houdini! © Denise Gary Kids Need to Read was invited to the students' graduation ceremony in August. Author/poet Gary Soto was the keynote speaker and presented each graduate with a signed book. © Denise Gary In addition to providing the students with multiple books to keep for themselves, Kids Need to Read provided 300 class sets of books and boxes of library books to the school, as well. © Denise Gary