Houghton Public School Reads its Way to First Place

MONDAY, NOV. 15, 2021

Houghton Public School has taken first prize at the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show’s Read Your Way to the Fair competition, while another Grand Erie elementary school, West Lynn, finished in second place. The annual contest, sponsored by Ontario Power Generation, awards three cash prizes to the Norfolk County schools that read the most books, newspaper or magazine articles, which they documented online, in a friendly competition that encourages literacy and a love of reading. 

“In an age of internet, social media, gaming, and mind-blowing visual graphics, students at Houghton Public School still love books!” said Rob Weber, principal of Houghton Public School, noting that prize money goes toward the purchase of books and literacy-related accessories for winning schools’ libraries and learning commons. “Our schools have worked hard to focus on all of the positives in life during a time when the world is struggling with significant challenges. Winning the Read Your Way to the Fair contest was a significant boost to our wellness. The only emotion that surpassed excitement was appreciation to the generous contributors who have made this possible.” 

Houghton Public School was awarded the first-place prize of $750, while West Lynn Public School won $500 to go toward enhancing each school’s respective literary collections. Houghton Public School’s learning commons transition was completed in 2019, renovating the old library to bring a 21^st-century focus on innovation, technology enhancements and collaborative elements to the space. Grand Erie’s multi-year strategic plan prioritizes learning, well-being and belonging, and the community connection to the Norfolk County Fair and its sponsors will further enhance those learning commons spaces, which function to achieve those goals for learners.