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News Item

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Westview Elementary wins literacy lottery

December 10, 2018

​By Maria Spitale-Leisk, North Shore News

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Westview Elementary students Luca Mnatsakanian, Isa Pagtakhan and Ella Lahulek enjoy some new reads in the library on Dec. 3. Photo by Cindy Goodman, North Shore News


Westview Elementary has won the literacy lottery.

The North Vancouver school recently received a $2,500 Indigo e-gift card for being B.C.’s grand prize winner in a national Adopt a School contest put on by Indigo’s Love of Reading Foundation, plus they received an additional 433 books (valued at roughly $10 each) via online donations through the contest website and from donations received at Indigo Park Royal.

“This was a huge boost to our library,” said Westview Elementary librarian Gretchen Tolfo.

Indigo’s online fundraising platform allowed people to support a local school, like Westview Elementary, during the national ‘Tell a Story, Give a Story’ contest. Supporters submitted stories about literacy to gain additional funds for their school of choice. In addition, fans could “heart” their favourite story. The top five most “hearted” stories from five different schools in each province were entered into a random draw to win an additional $2,500 Indigo e-gift card.
Westview Elementary was the lucky winner in B.C., and the staff and students couldn’t be more thrilled with the news.

“Over the years our library collection has been built up largely from community donations,” explained Tolfo. “Favourite books are tattered and worn, collections are incomplete, and newer collections have not been available. Now, thanks to this $2500 prize and the other 400 plus books that were donated to us … our library is being revitalized.”

With this windfall, popular books, as well as some collections, are being replaced at Westview – and the students’ requests for books have been fulfilled.

“The students are even excited about the smell of the new books,” said Tolfo.

Asked what he thought of the big boost to the library, Luca, a Grade 1 student, said: “Good, because you can read, and read, and read.”