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De Beers Canada's flying bookstore touches down in Ndilo

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2505books91 Michael Hugall/NNSL photo Kalemi Dene School students Jayden Field, left, Mya Laboucan, Trayton Heron, Namen Franki and Aaron Doctor show off their books at the school on Tuesday during the De Beers Canada flying bookstore. Students took three (May 22, 2018)

Students at Kalemi Dene School showed enthusiasm as they picked out free books on May 22 at an event designed to increase literacy in the territory.

They were given the opportunity to chose three free books by De Beers Canada, part of the mining company's flying bookstore.

Kalemi Dene School was one of 14 schools from nine school districts in the South Slave region to receive books from the company.

Newly appointed Education Minister Caroline Cochrane was on-hand to read aloud to the students.

She said initiatives like the flying bookstore are crucial for students.

Minister of Education Caroline Cochrane reads aloud to students at Kalemi Dene School on Tuesday afternoon. The Minister was on-hand for the De Beers Canada flying bookstore.
Michael Hugall/NNSL photo

“It's a huge issue and we need to learn how to read and write in order to exceed in life,” said Cochrane. “Fundraisers like (the flying bookstore) are great for the school but often they exclude people in poverty, (however), this event is great because it doesn't single out students financially.”

She said in her new role, she will work to ensure students receive the proper tools to learn.

“Resources to me isn't just about money it's a holistic viewpoint that provides not only education but wellness for children," she said. “There's no point in having education if we can't provide students with the proper resources.”

To date, De Beers has given away over 45,000 books in the NWT which has translated to $1.2 million dollars in donations to territorial education since the flying bookstore began in 2003.