The Otterville School started a new program “Bikes For Books” that encourages grade school students to read more books.
Dave Muntzel, a member of Wallace Masonic Lodge 456 in Bunceton, suggested the program to Matt Unger, superintendent of Otterville School. Unger approved the program and put into action this past fall.
The Wallace Masonic Lodge has helped start the program in other Cooper County public schools including Prairie Home, Bunceton, Pilot Grove, St. Joseph Catholic in Pilot Grove and Zion Lutheran in Lone Elm.
The program is sponsored by the Ag Coop in Otterville and Otterville Bank. Two bikes, (a boy’s and a girl’s) are purchased by these businesses and placed in the school on display. The students get their name in the drawing for every book they read. Doneta Handley is the director of the program at the Otterville School.
The winners of the bikes for the fall semester of school were first-grader Devyn Thomas and second-grader Lexie May.
