Staff Writer
Six lucky children from Houlton Southside School and Mill Pond Elementary School will win a new bicycle thanks to the efforts of the Masons’ “Bikes for Books” national program.
BIKES FOR BOOKS — Members of Rhonda Shaw’s fifth-grade class are among the group hoping to win won of three bicycles at Houlton Southside School. Students include, front from left, Jackie Green, Alexis Miller, Drew Marino, Becca Mooers, Maggie Lafond, Chris Cameron, Dustin Shaw and Tyler McAfee; and back, Dakota Beaulieu, Kianna Folsom, Ben Lowery, Nick Folson, Jon Carmichael, Nick Wiggin and Conway Thornton.
“This is a nationwide program that the Masons support,” said Dan Milton, master for Monument Lodge 96. “This is our first time doing this program here, so we are leaving it up to the schools to decide how to select the winners.”
At Houlton Southside Schools, students in grades 4-6 are eligible to participate in the program. One winner will be chosen from each grade level.
Rhonda Shaw, a fifth-grade teacher at Houlton Southside School is one of the teachers coordinating the event at her school.
“With our independent reading program, our reading teachers set the platform for what books are acceptable,” Shaw explained. “When they complete a book they will get there name entered in the drawing. The more you read, the better your chances to win.”
To participate, a student must read a minimum of five books. Each additional book that is read gives the student more opportunities to have their name drawn. The bicycles will be presented to the winners in late-May or early-June. The winning student will also receive a bicycle helmet and T-shirt.
The teachers at the schools set the reading criteria and Houlton will have approximately 300 students competing for the bikes, while Hodgdon will have about 200.
The program started at the beginning of the current ranking period and will run
until the end of the ranking period.
An assembly will be held at each of the schools the first part of June, at which time the winners will be drawn. At this assembly, an officer from the Houlton Police Department will be present to explain bike safety to the children.
Bruce Folsom, a past master with the local Masons, said the program not only encourages reading, but will also encourage exercise.
“This is a chance for us to do something for the community and especially the kids,” he said. “It’s important for us to do things to give back to the area.”
If anyone would like to know more about the program, contact Monument Lodge at 538-7119 or trestleboard96@yahoo.com.
