1+1 Giveaway: Nicole Hayworth teaches kids to have a passion for reading

BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. – Nicole Hayworth, a third-grade teacher at South Park Elementary School in Belle Fourche, has a passion for helping her students improve their reading skills. While she teaches all subjects, reading is one of her primary focuses.

Hayworth received the 1+1 Giveaway gift card, where NewsCenter1 and First Interstate Bank partner up to give a teacher $500 to help cover expenses outside their budget. To encourage her students to read, Hayworth likes to keep a fully stocked classroom library with many books at different reading levels and genres.

“Reading can be a challenge for kids. So if I can find the right text for them to get into reading, I think that’s huge,” Hayworth said. “You know, getting over the hump of ‘I don’t like reading,’ and working with them to find something that they like to read so they can grow as an individual.”

Check out these photos from Hayworth’s classroom:

Hayworth, who was born and raised in Belle Fourche, has been teaching for eight years. She received her master’s degree  in Reading from Black Hills State University.

“It is a passion of mine to help these students grow as individual readers,” she said.

Hayworth also likes to focus on student involvement in learning activities and hands-on learning. She plans to use her gift card for flexible seating in her classroom.

“Probably some more seating for my students. Like they were saying earlier, I like to do that flexible seating. So start there and then see what I need in the classroom, or things I would like to have that I haven’t been able to get yet,” Hayworth said.