The Denton Independent School District recognized its top readers in the third grade through its annual Hawkeye reading program, an educational plan established by the late Mildred McCauley Hawk.
The district recognized three Hawkeye readers from each elementary school campus, including 15 from the Southern portion of the district and Lantana, giving Denton ISD a total of 60 top readers in the program for the 2009-10 school year.
The Hawkeye reading program was implemented during the 1999-2000 school year by Mrs. Hawk as a way to encourage students to read and assist them with their reading skills. Mrs. Hawk believed in the program enough to donate $50,000 to the Denton Public School Foundation before her death to ensure future students would become Hawkeye readers.
Hawkeye readers from each campus earn a financial reward for their recognition with the first-place recipient earning $25, second place $15 and third place $10. This year’s winners in the southern portion of the district and Lantana included:
Blanton – Riley Brooks, first; Austin McNair, second; Skyla Seay, third
E.P. Rayzor – Creed Nelson, first; Gabriel Lee, second; Aidan Quinn, third
Hawk – Calista Hemarga, first; Maria DeCosta, second; Parker Dewitt, third
Pecan Creek – Yi Joung Koo, first; Hanjae Kim, second; Calvin Phillips, third
Stephens – Rachel Brandt, first; Savannah Ekrut, second; Keiylah Demerson, third
