Shreveport Police Department

PO Box P · Shreveport, LA 71161 · 318/673-6933 · Fax: 318/673-6914

www.ci.shreveport.la.us/dept/police/spdnews

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: Feb. 9, 2000

Contact: Cindy Chadwick

318/673-6932

SPD officer organizes "Weekly Reader" program

Shreveport Police Sgt. Wendell Delaney is known for giving area youth a helping hand, so his latest endeavor should come as no surprise.

Delaney has organized 125 volunteers to take turns reading to Lakeshore Elementary school children each Wednesday morning. Policemen, firemen, city and parish officials, community leaders and others gather at 9 a.m. mid-week and treat the youngsters to stories they've selected themselves or borrowed from the school's library. Eager students greet the visitors asking, "Are you our company today?"

The guest readers visit the classrooms of Early Childhood Education, kindergarten, first and second grade students. Last Wednesday, 15 volunteers read to 403 students in 18 classrooms.

Delaney said the program is a pilot project that he'd like to see expand in the Queensborough/Ingleside neighborhood next year. He said he developed the idea to help boost reading skills and elementary test scores.

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