Waterloo Discover Academy, a partner school with The New Tech Network, has started a reading adventure.

At the school’s Open House on Aug. 7, each family received the book “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate.

As part of a whole-school, project-based learning initiative, families, staff, community members and students will read the book together.

At the open house, each family of readers had a chance to have their picture taken with the character Ivan.

The project’s goal is to build a community of lifelong readers.

“At Waterloo Discover Academy, we know that families play an imperative role in encouraging young students to become readers. We believe as Mary McGrory, Pulitzer award-winning journalist, wrote about common reading programs, ‘The idea is that the city that opens the same book, closes it in greater harmony.’ We are so excited to see our community of readers at Waterloo Discover Academy grow and learn through this connected experience,” said Julia Tipton, principal of Waterloo Elementary School.