Rupert Reading Blitz Gets Kids Reading at Home



Photos courtesy of Pottstown School District
Saami Gant shows off one of his new books provided during the Dow Day of Caring Reading Blitz and Giving Home Libraries at Rupert Elementary School on March 26.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Rupert Elementary School Principal Matt Moyer.

Rupert Elementary School hosted the Dow Day of Caring Reading Blitz and Giving Home Libraries event on Tuesday, March 26.

 

Kassidy Drost and Chelsea Reisman both selected the same book. 

Each student received a red Dow tote bag and selected five brand new American Reading Company books to take home and keep. In all, they gave away about 2,000 books to our students.

  

After book selection, volunteers went to each classroom and spent some time reading some of the books to our students. We even had some of the authors here to read to the classes.

 

The volunteers had a blast, and all commented on how impressed with they were with our staff, and how polite and respectful each of the students were during their time here. Additionally, students will receive a card with a code for 5 FREE online books!

     

This event was made possible because of Moyer's work with the yearly district-wide United Way Campaign. Kathy Kohler from the United Way offered to bring this event to Rupert due to the district's support of the United Way.

 

This is the first Dow Day of Caring Reading Blitz and Giving Home Libraries event to be held this far outside of Philadelphia.

 

Kiera English with her new book.

The groups that helped make the event possible were: The United Way, Dow, American Reading Company, and the Chris Long Foundation.

Information UW’s literacy initiative and partnership with Chris Long.

Every chapter of a child’s life is worth cheering for. And when we fight for youth success, we empower the next generation of learners, leaders and achievers. It’s why we’ve decided to get off the sidelines and help turn the page on our region’s literacy crisis.

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, in partnership with The Chris Long Foundation, launched the First Quarter for Literacy campaign, an initiative of Philadelphia Eagles Defensive End Chris Long to help Philadelphia area children improve their reading skills and to put new books into the hands of 5,000 local children.

In December, a 25-day crowdfunding initiative, Second Quarter for Literacy, was launched to bolster

Jahvon Jackson shows off his new book bag.

Long’s initial investment by making additional strategic investments into programs designed to help more children throughout the region read on grade level by the end of third grade.

 

Grade level reading by 4th grade is a critical milestone, as children begin to transition from learning to read, to reading to learn. Children who are not reading on grade level by fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school than proficient readers.

 

To combat this problem, the Second Quarter for Literacy initiative will help: 

• Expand the Parent-Child Home Program to provide more families in need with the knowledge, skills, and materials they need to prepare their children for success in pre-K and beyond
• Launch a 1:1 interactive, web-based tutoring program designed for use in classrooms for grades 1-3
• Expand Philadelphia’s Read by 4th campaign into suburban communities

To make a lasting difference, it’s not enough to simply know about a problem. It also requires stepping up to be that difference – for this generation, and the next.

For more information, click this link.