For one local elementary school, reading has become the best activity to learn, be entertained and honour a former educator at the same time.
Bev Finley taught at Keenooshayo Elementary from the school’s first year to 2005 and everybody knew how important literacy and literature were to her.
“She was a dynamic lady. She put her heart into everything,” stated Brenda Strong.
“She always enjoyed reading,” explained Jennifer Yakimik, current teacher and one of Finley’s former colleagues. “She always read to her students and there was always time during the day when they could read to themselves.”
Then Finley was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The debilitating motor neuron disorder causes progressive weakness, muscle atrophy eventually leading to difficulty speaking, swallowing and breathing.
Now, a few years after she succumbed to her illness, Yakimik has found the most appropriate way to pay tribute to her lost friend.
She, along with teacher Brenda Strong, raised enough money to purchase almost 80 books for the school’s library. The books have been dedicated as ‘Bev’s Picks,’ a broad selection of titles that will surely entice many young readers for years to come. There’s a variety that includes Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein and Roald Dahl, plus many other fiction and learning books for all age groups at the school.
The addition to the library is a heart-warming way to keep Finley’s spirit alive and continue her tradition of encouraging reading among the young students. Even her grown children were moved by the symbolism of the project.
“Mom loved reading,” said Danielle Webb. “She made all her kids read. She got them interested in reading. It was all about books. She promoted it to us and her students and they all have taken that with them.”
“She was a favourite of all the students,” added Webb’s sister, Shannon Majeau, a teacher now herself in the Edmonton school system. “This school meant a lot to her and to us. Seeing that picture of Mom up on the wall here, it’s just very touching. I like that Mom’s going to have a legacy.”
“When you get to Grade 5, you often get students who don’t like reading. They’ve been turned off. She was always on the quest to find series of books. She always felt that … once they read one, they’d want to read more and more,” Yakimik continued.
To that end, both teachers are hoping to reach out to Finley’s former students and friends who might be interested in helping to extend the project through the collection of more books. Interested parties can call the school at 780-459-3114 for more information.
