A literacy fund grant of $20,000 will help transform an Oliver school’s aging library.

Teachers and students from Sen Pok Chin thought they were participating in a general information conference call with the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation to discuss the state and need within their library when it was revealed.

“We’re honoured to be selected as one of the 30 recipients for this year’s Love of Reading grant and this support could not have come at a better time,” said Val Allen , principal of Sen Pok Chin. “We have great kids and a beautiful school. The Sen Pok Chin staff work tirelessly to enrich the lives of our children and provide students with the very best education. Building our literacy resources with the variety of genre’s, fiction and non-fiction and high interest topics will motivate and inspire our students to read more. Our students do deserve the very best.”

Sen Pok Chin is one of 30 recipients to receive a 2017 Literacy Fund grant, part of a $1.5 million commitment given by the foundation each year to high-needs elementary schools across Canada in an effort to bolster literacy and give all children equal access to books. The average age of books in Sen Pok Chin school’s library is approximately 15 years old, making them one of the many Canadian schools in dire need of new books.

In April, Sen Pok Chin won $25,000 in new technology in the Staples Superpower Your School Contest that rewards students for raising environmental consciousness.

Over the past 13 years, the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation has committed more than $25 million in funding, helping more than 3,000 schools, and transforming the lives of over 900,000 Canadian children.

Now, as a result of the Literacy Fund grant, Sen Pok Chin will be able to increase its library collection by 10 new books per student for each of the three grant years, totalling 2,250 books.

Original Story: https://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/community/oliver-school-wins-20000-grant-for-their-library/