The Big Read Creates Readers, Writers, Artists, & Rappers

This year’s Sauk Valley Big Read gave DPS students the opportunity to be readers, writers, artists, and rappers as they participated in various activities associated with The Call of the Wild by Jack London and Akiak by Robert Blake.  The Big Read is a program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and in cooperation with Arts Midwest “designed to restore reading to the center of American culture” (“About the Big Read”).  The Sterling Public Library applied for the Big Read grant to promote reading in the Sauk Valley.  Schools and public libraries in the area received books and other materials from the grant.
At Washington School, Mrs. Brantner read the book, Akiak by Robert Blake to each class during their library visit.  She also talked to the students about the Iditarod dog sled race.  Students especially loved learning about the dogs and appreciated the large stuffed dog that sat with them as they listened to the story.