Zelda’s Corner debuts at Whittier Elementary
Whittier Elementary school principal Scott Wilcox hands out books during the debut of Zelda’s Corner, a new reading program named after the principal’s service dog, where kids can gather at the corner of the playground and read books.
Recess is known as a time for young learners to hop, skip, jump and play ball.
But for kids who may want a different option, Whittier Elementary School has answered the call.
The Costa Mesa school opened Zelda’s Corner, a side of the playground with a rolling bookcase, yoga mats and a dog house, on Tuesday morning.
The reading area was named after Whittier Principal Scott Wilcox’s Labrador, a therapy dog.
When Wilcox brought Zelda to his office in May, he decided to leave his door leading out to the playground area open. The sight of Zelda in his office led students to the open door during recess.
Instead of swinging on the playground and moving around the courts, the students wanted to do something different. They asked if they could read books to Zelda.
“I said yes, when they asked me, and after that, my office would be packed with kids reading to Zelda every day during lunch,” Wilcox said with a laugh.
Around the same time, Wilcox was in talks with the school’s partners at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach about starting a reading club at Whittier. Their conversations led to the idea of creating Zelda’s Corner.
The church purchased books, the rolling book case and the yoga mats and also helped build a dog house and buy mailbox for the new reading space.
Their efforts are part of a mission partnership the church has with communities and schools.
“Our pastor came to St. Andrew’s a couple of years ago and wanted to develop opportunities for members to serve here, near and far,” said Pat Kishi, a St. Andrew’s volunteer who attended the opening of Zelda’s corner.
Church volunteers have taken part painting murals, repainting doorways, pulling weeds and working in the classroom with Whittier students over the years.
The book case in the new reading area holds 200 to 300 picture and chapter books, Kishi said.
Besides exercising their reading skills, students can also use the corner to write letters to Zelda and stick them in the reading area’s mailbox.
“Some kids love soccer, and some kids love sitting the grass and talking to a friend,” Wilcox said. “We want to give students as many options on the playground so everyone is engaged in something they like in their free time.”
Volunteers from St. Andrew’s will bring out the rolling book case and yoga mats to the playground every Tuesday, Wilcox said, but students can always read in Zelda’s corner during the school week.