April 23, 2008

BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – As the winner of the “Let’s Read with the Gamecocks” Reading Program, Lake Carolina Elementary got a visit from members of the South Carolina women’s basketball team Wednesday afternoon. Nearly 600 students from the school met and played four-on-four basketball games with the Gamecock players.

“We have been trying to win for the past five years, and this was our first win,” Jan Faile, the reading program coordinator for Lake Carolina Elementary, said. “Our students are proud of their hard work, and we are excited to be recognized by the University.”

Courtney Newton (left) and Lauren Falohun help congratulate students at Lake Carolina Elementary for winning the “Let’s Read with the Gamecocks” program.

When asked about reading, second grader Jordan Flemming said, “Reading is fun because it helps me learn a lot of words.”

Many of his fellow students agreed and said they enjoyed reading for entertainment as well as the points they received in their Reading Counts program.

Lake Carolina’s students and teachers are anticipating taking part in the “Let’s Read with the Gamecocks” program in the future. Faile believes the program motivates the students to read over the holiday break in addition to achieving the goal of the Lake Carolina Elementary program, which is to “build life-long readers.”