PTO awards 21 free bikes for elementary reading

By Robert Williams

Editor

It was a banner year for reading at the Frazee-Vergas Elementary School this year with more than 20 students earning a free bicycle thanks to generous donations from 23 different organizations, businesses and individuals.

Frazee-Vergas Parent Teacher Organization representative Dani Adams emceed a giveaway of 21 bikes to the elementary school’s top readers on Wednesday, May 22.

The program Books for Bikes was started more than a decade ago by former Kindergarten teacher Mary Jane Beyer.

Adams thanked Beyer for her vision to create the program and annually assisting as a sponsor.

“You had a vision and helped the PTO get this ball rolling,” Adams said. “Thank you so much for your heart in education.”

Adams also thanked the students for their enthusiasm for the event and how hard they worked at improving their reading abilities.

Adams also had kind words for the teachers of the elementary school.

“You have created learning environments that support reading and literacy and we thank you,” she said.

Two students were chosen from each grade as winners of new bicycles. The kindergarten and first grade classes were based on the most books read. 

Second through sixth grade were based on most Accelerated Reader (AR) points earned throughout the year. AR uses a point goals system. Kids earn points for every book they read. The number of points is based on a book’s length and difficulty.

Each class also had winners of gift bags for those finishing near the top of their class.

Books for Bikes winners:

• Kindergarten – Top Reader Joshua Bradbury

• Kindergarten – Top Reader – Quinn Blauert

• Kindergarten – Top Reader – Hailey Lorentz

• Kindergarten – Bag Winner – Ashton Bachmann

• Kindergarten – Bag Winner – Natalie Thompson

• 1st Grade – Top Reader – Osa Foster

• 1st Grade – Top Reader – Griffin Hukriede

• 1st Grade – Most Improved – Ellie Stockstrom

• 1st Grade – Bag Winner – Verona Mastin

• 1st Grade – Bag Winner – Eden Adams

• 2nd Grade – Top Reader – Beck Olson

• 2nd Grade – Top Reader – Ryan Engel

• 2nd Grade – Most Improved – Breccan Breun

• 2nd Grade – Bag Winner – Mikko Zick

• 2nd Grade – Bag Winner – Henrick Oelfke

• 3rd Grade – Top Reader – Grayden Prellwitz

• 3rd Grade – Top Reader – Carson Courneya

• 3rd Grade – Most Improved – Alivia Buhr

• 3rd Grade – Bag Winner – Hillary Jacobson

• 3rd Grade – Bag Winner – Noah Bachmann

• 4th Grade – Top Reader – Sawyer Adams

• 4th Grade – Top Reader – Jack McCurdy

• 4th Grade – Most Improved – Otto Wagenman

• 4th Grade Bag Winner – Autumn Olson

• 4th Grade – Bag Winner – Carter Behrmann

• 5th Grade – Top Reader – Kienna Ard

• 5th Grade – Top Reader – Rachael Courneya

• 5th Grade – Most Improved – Penelope Jopp

• 5th Grade – Bag Winner – Olive Perala

• 5th Grade – Bag Winner – Cecil Ebersviller

• 6th Grade – Top Reader – Stetson Olson

• 6th Grade – Top Reader – Jeffrey Moe

• 6th Grade – Most Improved – Eirean Somerville

• 6th Grade – Bag Winner – Audrey Bladow

• 6th Grade – Bag Winner – Matilda Aho

The event sponsors worked together to provide funding to purchase the 21 bicycles and gift bags. Sponsors of this year’s event are: Detroit Lakes Breakfast Rotary, Yak Shack – Jay Estensen, TEAM Industries, KLN Family Brands, Anderson Pumpkin Patch and Maple Syrup. Franklin Fence, Lucky Little Learners, Caulfields, OK Lumber, Hough, Inc, Frazee Sportsmen’s Club, Daggett Truck Line, Seip Drug, Zach Erickson Trucking, John Vaida, Erie Township Four Corners Lions Club, United Community Bank, The Monarch Coffee House, Lakes Area Power Solutions, Arvig, Frazee Lions Club, Mary Jane Beyer, and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.