The Partnership for Children of the Foothills Challenges Parents to Read Aloud 15 MINUTES a day in May!
Reading aloud for just 15 minutes a day to your child can make all the difference in whether your child is prepared for the start of school and has longer-term implications for success in life. This May, the partnership is challenging parents and caregivers in McDowell, Polk and Rutherford counties to the 21-day Read Aloud Challenge kicking off May 10.
Parents can visit ReadAloudPFCFoothills.org to download the Spring Tracking Tool and commit to the challenge. Turn the tracking tool in after June 1 and claim a free prize for your child at any of the participating libraries below.
“We feel that this initiative is critical to our kids here in the foothills,” says Partnership for Children of the Foothills Executive Director, Barry Gold. “We want to see reading aloud every day for 15 minutes become one of the essential routines of raising a child, as normal as daily tooth brushing.”
Read Aloud 15 MINUTES’ goal is to have every child read aloud to by a parent or loved one for 15 minutes every day starting at birth. Read Aloud partners are united behind the idea that this simple step of reading to children from birth to age 8 can change the face of education, nationally.
The Partnership for Children of the Foothills joins a growing league of academic scholars, business leaders, government officials, childcare providers, teachers, community workers, parents, and friends who are working to make reading aloud for 15 minutes every day, starting at birth, a parenting standard. Working together, we’ll help more children begin kindergarten ready to learn, get the most out of their education, and become productive citizens.
Participating libraries:
McDowell County
Marion Library
90 W Court St
Marion, NC 28752
Old Fort Library
65 E Mitchell St
Old Fort, NC 28762
Polk County
Columbus Library
1289 W. Mills St.
Columbus, NC 28722
Saluda Library
44 W. Main St.
Saluda, NC 28773
Rutherford County
Mooneyham Public Library
Rutherford County Library
255 Callahan Koon Road
Spindale, NC 28160
Haynes Branch Public Library
2669 Hwy 221A
Mooresboro, NC 28114
Mountain’s Branch Public Library
150 Bill’s Creek Road
Lake Lure, NC 28746
Read Aloud Fast Facts:
- Reading aloud is the single most important thing a parent or caregiver can do to help a child prepare for reading and learning.
- Nationally, 37% of children arrive in kindergarten without the skills necessary to begin their learning journey.
- If a child is not reading at grade level by the end of the first grade, then there is an 88% probability the child will not be reading at grade level by the end of the fourth grade.
- Even in higher-income households, nearly 40% of families do not read aloud every day.
- More than half the children in this country – 13 million children – will not hear a bedtime story tonight.
About Partnership for Children of the Foothills
With support from the NC Smart Start Initiative, Partnership for Children of the Foothills provides programs for children ages 0-5 and their families in the areas of Child Care/Education and Family Support. The Partnership for Children builds and sustains relationships with community agencies and service providers, offering creative and unique programs for preschool children and their families, licensed childcare centers and family childcare. For more information, visit: PFCFoothills.org
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