When Shelley Lentz learned she had received the Impact Grant she had applied for from the Alliant Energy Foundation, she knew she could make a huge impact on the lives of young readers locally in Belleville. As the Elementary Literacy Coach, Shelley Lentz immediately set out to use the $5,456 award (complimented by an additional $800 from school board member Mike Treder's "Awesome" fund) to further enrich young readers' literacy opportunities.

Lentz set to work and developed a summer reading program for about 60, K-2nd grade students. As part of the program, each of the participating stud...