CIBC READ TO SUCCEED IS BACK
Brandon, Manitoba — The Brandon School Division, in partnership with CIBC and the Brandon Wheat Kings have announced the return of the popular “Read to Succeed” Program for the 2007-2008 Western Hockey League season.
The program, which was introduced by the Wheat Kings, CIBC and Brandon School Division in September 2004 and was designed after a pilot project developed by the WHL’s Vancouver Giants six years ago, features several members of the hockey club visiting schools throughout Brandon and surrounding area.
Student participation during the first two years of the local program has come in at virtually 100% with many students exceeding the programs required by the participating schools.
Last year’s program involved two dozen schools, close to 50 classrooms and approximately 1,200 students. “Read to Succeed“ encourages students in grades two to five to spend extra time reading – both at home and in school.
20-year old defenceman Theran Yeo, the hockey club’s Community Minded Player of the Year during the 2006-07 campaign, will be joined this year by Calgary Flames’ draft choice Keith Aulie and goalkeeper Joe Caligiuri. Aulie and Caligiuri replace Codey Burki and Ryan Reaves, who were members of the CIBC Read to Succeed Team a year ago.
These players will visit schools this season, talking to students about the importance of reading and education. In all cases, the players will read to the students and upon successfully completing a literacy challenge, introduced by each classroom teacher, the players will reward them with bookmarks and complimentary tickets, made possible by CIBC, to an upcoming game at Westman Place.
In addition to a number of Brandon schools, the Wheat Kings visited a variety of rural schools last winter including such communities as Forrest, Souris, Deloraine, Hamiota, Shoal Lake and Minnedosa.
Each classroom presentation, which will include time for reading, questions and answers will take approximately 25-30 minutes. Schools interested in scheduling a Wheat Kings CIBC Read to Succeed visit are encouraged to contact Rick Dillabough at 726-3535 or by email at [email protected]
The Wheat Kings would like to thank CIBC for its continued support of this valuable community outreach program.
For more information on the program, it’s goals and objectives, visit www.wheatkings.com
On the ice, the Wheat Kings return to the ice this weekend when they travel west for games in Lethbridge on Saturday night and Kootenay on Thanksgiving Sunday. Brandon is currently off to a 3-1-0 start. Next home game for the Wheat Kings is Friday, October 12th against the visiting Prince George Cougars. Game time is 7:30 p.m. and tickets are on sale now at the Keystone Centre box office, by calling 726-3555 or online at ticketmaster.ca
