LA CROSSE, Wis., (March 8, 2023) – North Woods International School partnered with Logan High School for a sports-themed morning of reading and exercise. Over 30 Logan High School student-athletes from basketball, gymnastics, powerlifting, and wrestling teamed up with North Woods students in kindergarten, first, and second grades for an outdoor story walk.
Students joined the story walk, combining the pleasure of reading the book aloud while walking together outdoors. A story walk is a fun, educational activity that places the pages from a children’s story along a walking route around the outside of the school. The story walks help build student interest in reading while encouraging healthy outdoor activity and promoting the school’s theme of unity.
“It’s a great opportunity for our high school students to understand the impact they can have on younger kids,” said Logan High School teacher and coach Sam Zwieg. “When our high schoolers interact with elementary school students, they are not only representing themselves, but they are also representing their school and community. Their behavior and attitude can inspire the younger kids to become future leaders themselves. Our older students take this responsibility seriously and strive to be positive role models worth following.”
This story walk selection was “Stephen Curry: The Children’s Book: The Boy Who Never Gave Up” by Anthony Curcio. The book is the inspiring true story of NBA superstar Stephen Curry. This fully illustrated picture book biography tells the story of a young boy who many said was too short to play in high school, too weak to play in college, and not good enough to play in the NBA. Against all odds, this small boy who follows his dream, not only makes it to the NBA but becomes one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball.
“I hope this experience continues to build an enjoyment in reading and shared reading experiences for our elementary and high school students,” said North Woods International teacher Sara DePaolo. “Active learning is a goal at North Woods, and we hope the event sparks continued interest in story walks at school and develops some lifelong readers as well. I also hope that the students truly take the message from the story to never give up, because with hard work, determination, and perseverance anything is possible.”
The school’s permanent outdoor story walk installation was funded through a grant from the La Crosse Public Education Foundation to get all students involved with reading in a fun and engaging way regardless of their reading level. The story walk feature at North Woods helps add over 800 additional hours of reading for students each year.
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