» “Reading Under the Stars” Presents Outdoor Family Fun

“Reading Under the Stars” Presents Outdoor Family Fun

Brady Shreckengost – a West Hills Elementary second-grader – colors a red-and-green snake after reading a story with Kayla Wolfe of Ford City at the Reading Under the Stars Friday.

By Jonathan Weaver

While the Kittanning Wildcats football team was winning their final home game at David Red Ullom Field Friday night, more than 170 children and families were “Reading Under the Stars” in East Franklin Township.

The Armstrong County Reading Council and Kittanning Salvation Army teamed up for the inaugural activity at West Hills Community Park.

Lt. Amber Imhoff said it was the first event in partnership with the Armstrong Reading Council.

“Our Mission Literacy Team this summer volunteered at the libraries (during the summer reading program), and Joan Moore and Paula Matus ran the Ford City summer library, so I said ‘We should do something outside with the canteen’ and Mrs. Moore was like ‘Sure, why not?”

“It’s nice to see everyone with their kids and just enjoying themselves,” Lt. Amber said, pointing out a family that drove 40 minutes to the event.

The Salvation Army in Kittanning purchased several books given out to participating students through the Scholastic FACE (Family and Community Engagement) Program, where they are able to buy in bulk, but also purchased Christian activity books and new Salvation Army bibles were also available.

A $3,000 grant from the territory headquarters in New York also made the evening possible.

“We’re looking forward to continuing in literacy efforts – we were blessed that the territory headquarters offered Strikepoint money this year to start new initiatives to reach new people in our communities, and our location was awarded two grants: (one to start an archery program for kids) and one to continue our literacy efforts,” Lt. Amber said.

The families visited eight different stations in the park after Lt. Jason Imhoff and volunteer church members served free hot dogs, chips and drinks, along with giving out treat bags, to those who participated.

A new member of the Armstrong Reading Council, Kayla Wolfe of Ford City – a substitute reading specialist at Elderton Elementary - was recruited by eight-year member (and Elderton Elementary 5th/6th Grade Reading Teacher) Kim Miller of Elderton, whose designed their own solar system on gold or silver paper.

“Some of them look very realistic,” Miller said.

Kindergarten Teacher Paul Treacy read students “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” and students decorated their own cookies with sprinkles

Lenape Elementary sixth-grader Paige Hirst volunteered to help guide families to the inflatable StarLab planetarium in the West Hills Elementary auditorium– which she has been in before with her class. She sometimes can find the constellation, the big dipper, due to the lessons.

West Shamokin Teacher Christie Orlosky pointed out several constellations inside the black tent. Orlosky taught astronomy at Elderton High for 19 years before the school closed. She also teaches astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

“The little kids are so much more fun though – just because they have that spark and they ask question after question,” Orlosky said.

Starlab Planetarium was purchased through an Armstrong Education Foundation grant many years ago.

Devon Rottman reads nightly to her daughter, Mylee (3) and son, Owen, (5) – a West Hills kindergartener. She said her children enjoyed the event and planetarium.

The Salvation Army will keep the canteen truck during the rest of the month due to the upcoming Christstock September 20 and an evening picnic on Market Street the week after near Rosebud Mining in Kittanning.

Local News | jweaver September 10, 2014