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Ruskin Elementary chosen as grant recipient
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Oct 8, 2009 - 8:58:24 PM

 By JULIE BALL

RUSKIN — Children attending Ruskin Elementary will benefit from a $500 grant given by the Super Target on Bloomingdale Avenue in Riverview. Ruskin Elementary used the money to purchase $500 worth of new books for the media center. “Many of these books are Accelerated Readers and are new to the library. This will add to our variety of books to choose from in both fiction and nonfiction,” said media center specialist Lynn Kendrick. The school was able to choose their own books to add to the library’s general collection for all students to checkout and read.

Julie Ball photo Monica Alexander, Executive Team Leader of Human Resources at Super Target, reads a story to Mrs. Turner’s third grade class. Volunteers from the Super Target off Bloomingdale spent the day reading to various classes and building a reading garden in front of the school.

Along with the grant, Target sent out employee volunteers to read to the students throughout the morning on September 18. The grants across the Southeast region totaled over $200,000. After reading, the volunteers built a reading garden complete with landscaping and several benches, in the front of the school, which can be seen from College Avenue.

Eight stores in the Tampa area gave grants to local schools while providing them with other services. Last year the Bloomingdale Super Target chose Wimauma Elementary to receive the annual grant.

“We don’t have any outdoor teaching areas for the students,” said Lynn Kendrick. “The reading garden will be visible and make learning fun. Teachers can take their classes outside during the cool fall months for story time.”

Julie Ball photo Super Target volunteers, Antonio Chacin and Mark Robles asked and answered questions about a story they read aloud in Ms. Hoog’s kindergarten class

Target also donated leftover school supplies from the Bloomingdale Avenue location. These supplies will be used as extra incentives for students to improve in the math and science and the Accelerated Reader tutoring programs after school.
“Along with the grants, Target helps Title 1 schools build reading gardens and help the school with any need or annual project. It coincides with the National United Way campaign that Target participates in during the month of September across the country,” said clerical team member and volunteer Beth Martinez.

The grant came at a good time as September was National Literacy Month. School media centers in Hillsborough County were encouraged to bring in guest speakers to read to classes and promote literacy.

Deanna Edwards photo Along with a $500 grant given to the school, volunteer employees built an outdoor reading garden at Ruskin Elementary school. Seated from left to right: Cary, Annette, Ashley, Monica and Codie. Standing from left to right: Tony, Marck, Jason, Tom, Beth, and Roman

“It has been an absolute wonderful beginning of the year for Ruskin Elementary so far,” said Lynn Kendrick. “We have a new cafeteria, new wing and refurbished media center for the students. In such tough economic times, we are fortunate to have received such a generous grant from Target.”

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