The Power of a Wish - Indigo Love of Reading Foundation Grant
Posted on 08/21/2026
At Susanna Moodie Elementary School, we believe that every student’s future begins with a wish - a hope that grows with knowledge and becomes reality through dedication, commitment, and support. We are absolutely thrilled to share some incredible news that will make a very big wish come true for our entire school community! We are overjoyed to announce that our school has officially been selected as a recipient of the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation Grant, securing $40,000 in funding to completely transform our library collection!
Why This Matters for Our Mustangs
Our educators deliver high-quality literacy instruction every single day. However, as our vibrant community has grown and changed over the years, our library shelves have struggled to keep pace. The majority of our current books are nearly two decades old, meaning our students often encounter outdated information and perspectives that do not reflect the world we live in today.
Our student population has grown significantly - jumping to 460 students this year alone - and we now proudly represent many different cultures, faiths, and over fourteen distinct languages.
With this grant, our goal is to thoughtfully replace outdated materials with contemporary books that serve as both mirrors and windows. We want our Learning Commons to be a sanctuary where every student can recognize themselves in the stories they read (mirrors) while learning about and developing empathy for the diverse lives, cultures, and experiences of others (windows).
Our 3-Year Project Plan (2026 - 2029)
This funding will be rolled out over the next three school years to intentionally build a modern, inclusive, and exciting Learning Commons. Here is how we will be investing these resources:
High Interest Fiction and Graphic Novels:
We will fill our shelves with culturally responsive, diverse voices in our graphic novel, picture book, junior fiction, and young adult sections to ignite a genuine love of reading.
Dual-Language and Multi-Lingual Texts:
To celebrate our linguistic diversity, we will dramatically expand our collection of dual-language books. Key languages purchased first will include Arabic, Gujarati, Japanese, Nepali, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian.
Up-To-Date Non-Fiction & STEM:
We will target major gaps in our non-fiction sections. This includes purchasing up-to-date resources focused on STEM/STEAM, biographies, and the world and its peoples.
Indigenous Education & Reconciliation:
A major priority will be adding rich accurate resources highlighting the histories, cultures, contributions, and experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Bringing Stories to Life:
A portion of the funding will be used to host exciting author visits to inspire storytelling, imagination, and community building.
Ensuring Shared Ownership and Sustainability:
We want our students to have a true sense of agency and ownership over their new library. Student voices will be directly embedded into this process through our student-led Words Matter Committee, ensuring that new book selections genuinely reflect the identities, interests, and lived realities of our learners.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, as well as our incredibly supportive staff, School Council, and family community who make Susanna Moodie such a wonderful place to learn and grow. Together, we are building a space where every single student feels safe, seen, and celebrated.
