2 Hickory Creek Students Read All 20 Rebecca Caudill Books

Press release from Frankfort 157-C:

Oct. 19, 2020

A longtime advocate for reading, Hickory Creek Middle School librarian Mrs. Raynes applies for a grant each year from the District 157-C Education Foundation and receives funding to support the school's "Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award" program.

This program encourages reading from a list of books to choose the favorite book of Illinois students. It also reinforces Hickory Creek's initiative where students are asked to read for pleasure 20 minutes each night.

During the 2019-2020 school year, sisters Kaitlyn and Emily Skopek read all 20 Rebecca Caudill Awards books for 2021. During the spring, they contacted Mrs. Raynes to share their good news. Both students received a personalized READ poster that hangs outside the Hickory Creek Media Center.

Titles Kaitlyn and Emily read include “As Brave As You” by Jason Reynolds, “The Stars Beneath Our Feet” by David Barclay Moore, and “The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle” by Leslie Connor.
Marybeth Raynes, school librarian, commented, “We've been participating in the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award program since I started working here in 2004. The goal of the program is to engage our students with current, popular books, and encourage reading for pleasure. Kaitlyn and Emily were the first two students to finish all 20 titles for 2021. Kaitlyn has read all 20 books 3 years in a row, Emily for 2 years now.”

Frankfort 157-C is proud of Hickory Creek, our students, and Mrs. Raynes for fostering an environment where students enjoy reading.

This press release was produced by Frankfort 157-C. The views expressed here are the author's own.