Special to the PVT Educators making use of the literacy grant provided by Pahrump Rotary are, back row from left, Manon Rodriguez, Sharon Cathun and Angela White; and front row, from left, Karen Clayton, Sydney Hatch, Liz Provenza-Neth and Bill Austin. White received the grant for authoring an after-school literature program. Advertisement

J.G. Johnson Elementary School recently received a generous $250,000 literacy grant from the Pahrump Rotary Club.

Rotary selectively sponsors educational grant ideas submitted to it during the 2008-2009 school term.

First-grade teacher Angela M. White received the grant for authoring a proposal to provide students with after-school literature coupled with literary extension activities.

"Students who read recreationally are statistically proven to be the highest-achieving readers," White said. "Consequently, providing after-school literature with ideas and activities children can use at home to extend their reading comprehension is certainly an incentive for them to read beyond the typical school day."

The funds were used to purchase high-quality books which are housed in the main school library, offering access to the entire school.

Some of the books are biographies and include "The Magic School Bus" chapter book series.