By Teddy Rydquist
Leader Staff Writer
As part of the “Bikes for Books” program by Oxford Masonic Lodge #84 and the district’s participation in “March is Reading Month,” two Oxford Elementary School students were awarded bicycles on the morning of Thursday, April 22.
The winning students were Ben Potter, a member of Kelly Dorman’s third grade class, and Izabelle Novick, who is in fourth grade and taught by Rachel Hart.
Oxford Elementary School Principal Jeff Brown, who announced the winners over the public address system, was joined by Oxford Lodge representative Jeremy Dean and the school’s Reading Specialist, Amy Leach, to present the winning students with their prizes.
To be eligible for the bicycle raffle, students were given a checklist for each of the first 26 days of March with a different daily reading task and were required to complete at least four of them. For example, Tuesday, March 9 was “Magazine Day,” encouraging students to read a magazine about their favorite sport, hobby, or animal, and on March 17, which was St. Patrick’s Day, they were tasked with reading part of a book about leprechauns.
The Oxford Lodge began the “Bikes for Books” program in 2016, making 2021 its sixth year. Starting off with six bicycles, which were all given to Oxford Elementary School students, the program has grown to a total of 10 bicycles and are awarded to two students at each of the district’s five elementary institutions.