A group of Peace Arch Elementary Grade 5 students – dubbed the "Word Nerds" – stopped by White Rock Library last week to bid adieu to longtime librarian Genny Sveinson, who is retiring Friday.
Throughout the year, Sveinson has helped the nine students with their Reading Link Challenge, in which they were tasked with reading books and then – dressed in full 'nerd' regalia – successfully answered questions about them. The Word Nerds were the top team in Surrey and White Rock, and advanced to a grand challenge event at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
On April 19, chaperoned by teacher Leslie Porter, they thanked Sveinson for her help by bringing her flowers.
"The people here do so much to help elementary students. We're really going to miss her," said Porter.
Sveinson has been at White Rock Library 12 years, and has been a library technician for more than 30.
"It's kind of sad to be leaving after all these years," she said. "I'll really miss it."