IT may be a digital age, but these Jimboomba State School five-year-olds can’t imagine a world without books nor their favourite nannas and the friends they bring to help them with their reading.
The prep students – Kaiden Benn, Scarlett Bates, Mali Ling and Kayde Adams – are among student beneficiaries of the QuoCKa program.
“I love stories,” Scarlett said. “My favourite book is the one about the puppy.”
QuoCKa was born 11 years ago. The name is an acronym – Quo for Quota, C for Cops and K for kids – all of them reading together.
Quota International of Jimboomba volunteers donate their time to read with kids and apply for grants to buy books for students and school libraries.
Quota’s QuoCKA co-ordinator Janet Hughes and volunteer Fay Reilly were joined last week by Jimboomba acting sergeant Hayden Wilson and Tracey Tyson Jimboomba Bendigo Bank.
Ms Tyson came with a monster $500 cheque to help with book buying. Past QuoCKA donors have included Logan City Council and McDonalds Jimboomba.
Ms Hughes said the kids liked storytime and the chance of showing off their developing reading skills and getting help when needed.
“They look foward to the weeks we come to share stories with them,” she said.
Quota International of Jimboomba launched QuoCKa at Jimboomba State School and over the years expanded it to Flagstone, Veresdale, Crestmead and Woodhill schools.
Ms Hughes said students received a book of their own with an extra copy donated to the school library for schoolmates to borrow and read. Stickers were placed inside each book – student book stickers were signed by a teacher and dated; library book stickers featured a logo of the organisation that donated the funds to buy it.
“The idea is to encourage kids with their reading ,” Ms Hughes said.
“In total we’ve provided about 7200 books for all the schools combined. Kids experience the adventure of story, share drawings and details of the book and share with someone from the community. We show the kids we care.”
Bendigo Bank Jimboomba’s Tracey Tyson said reading was one of the most important skills a kids could learn.
“You’ll need to read to get a job,” she said.
Her words were echoed by Jimboomba acting sergeant Hayden Wilson. He said even policemen and women on active duty needed to know how to read and write.
“When I leave here, I’ll go back to the station and write something for our blog,” he said.
Nikky Baker, a STLaN – read Support Teacher of Literacy and Numeracy – said the school welcomed the program.
“It not only helps our youngsters learn to read, but breaks down barriers by giving out students a chance to meet police officers and community groups ,” she said.
