Making Books Part of a Healthy Childhood
Reach Out and Read South Carolina is part of the nationwide Reach Out and Read organization.Girls on the Run Donates Books!
When Ashleigh called and inquired about how she could help the Reach Out and Read program, her energy and enthusiasm for
community service shone through in our conversation. Ashleigh and her team mates through Girls on the Run, a
running club at Lake Murray Elementary School, organized and implemented a book drive to benefit Reach Out and Read-SC.
Through their collective efforts, and with the help of Carmen Plemmons a PE teacher and Girls On The Run Coordinator at
Lake Murray Elementary, Ashleigh and her teammates collected more than 300 new and gently used books to benefit
ROR sites across the midlands. Reach Out and Read relies on the support of community advocates like Ashleigh and her
friends to support our programs across the State. THANK YOU, Girls on the Run for all your hard work!
Read and Romp 2007
  |
Reach Out and Read-South Carolina held its third annual Read and Romp Family Benefit Event on Sunday, October 7th at the South Carolina State Museum. The event was a fun time for children and families to come together and spend the afternoon traveling through the adventures of their favorite children's books. The afternoon was a great success, and brought families together to enjoy books and celebrate literacy. More than 225 children participated in the event, and proceeds raised more than $13,500 to support the ROR program in South Carolina.
True to the mission of Reach Out and Read, the Read and Romp event demonstrated to families the fun and enjoyment that books bring. At Read and Romp, children were engaged in fun, learning-based activities themed around favorite children's books. In addition to the 12 interactive story book stations, there was a magician, a caricature artist, face painting, guest book characters, arts and crafts, and much, much more! Story book booths carried children through the adventures of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Charlotte's Web, Clifford, and many more favorites.
Children were able to visit with their favorite characters such as Cocky, Clifford, and Richie the Racoon. The event owes it success to wonderful champions of the Reach Out and Read-SC program as well as to the many volunteers and sponsors who made this event possible.
There were more than 100 volunteers involved at the event, and their help and commitment made the event possible. Children and parents had a wonderful time and we look forward to our fourth annual event in 2008.
If you are interested in learning more about Reach Out and Read or if you would like to help with the event in 2008, please contact the ROR-SC state office at: 803-434-2523, email contact@reachoutandreadsc.org or visit www.reachoutandreadsc.org.
 View more pictures of the 2007 event!
|
SCSOURCE KIDS Magazine
ROR-SC would like to say THANK YOU to SC Source Kids Magazine for their participation in our recent Read and Romp 2007 event. SCSOURCE Kids is South Carolina's FREE Kids Magazine and a much enjoyed addition to schools, libraries, health care facilities, family attractions, and social service organizations across the state. Funded entirely through sponsored editorial sections and family friendly advertisements, the primary goals of SCSOURCE Kids are to 1. promote literacy in children 12 and under, 2. encourage parent-child interaction, and 3. educate families about the wonderful resources that available in the Palmetto State.
The SCSOURCE Kids team of animators, writers, and designers is led by Saeeda
Daniels, who is the Publisher and Editor-In-Chief, and it boasts
contributions from child educators, edutainment specialists, subject matter
experts, and most importantly, our own South Carolina kids. Working with
organizations such as EdVenture which provides science information and The
Columbia Children's Theatre which provides mini-plays based on the
Department of Education's character building curriculum, SCSOURCE Kids is
comprised of a myriad of engaging, interesting, and sometimes off-beat
sections that children, parents, and teachers really love.
SCSOURCE Kids will now offer 3 Regional editions, Midlands, Upstate, and
Lowcountry, to encourage more local business, school, and organization
participation in the publication. You can learn more about SCSOURCE Kids on their website - www.scsourcekids.com, or contact via email at ADS@SCSOURCEKIDS.COM , by
phone at (803) 798-0301, or in writing at SCSOURCE Kids!, PO BOX 21083,
Columbia, SC, 29221.
Reach Out and Read Receives 2007 UNESCO Literacy Prize
Reach Out and Read, (ROR) a program in which medical providers give books to low-income children ages six months to five years at check-ups and advise their parents about the importance of reading aloud was awarded a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Confucius Prize for Literacy for its work within the U.S. healthcare system. The awards were announced by the UNESCO Director-General, Koichiro Matsuura, on the recommendation of an international jury. The theme for this year's prize was "Literacy and Health", in particular, literacy related to general health care, nutrition, family and reproductive health and health-related community development. Other recipients were literacy programs in China, Nigeria, Senegal, and the United Republic of Tanzania. This year ROR doctors and nurses will distribute 4.6 million books to 2.8 million U.S. infants, toddlers and preschoolers with a special emphasis on children growing up in poverty. Reach Out and Read has more than 3,300 programs at clinics, hospitals and public health departments throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Reach Out and Read distributes carefully selected new, developmentally and culturally appropriate books—starting with board books for babies and moving on to more complex picture books for preschoolers. Through Reach Out and Read, each child starts kindergarten with a home library of up to 10 books and a parent who has heard at every health supervision visit about the importance of books and reading. Bilingual books are available in 12 languages. Endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read has one of the strongest records of research support of any primary care intervention. Studies show that parents who get books and literacy counseling from their doctors and nurses are more likely to read to their young children, read to them more often, and provide more books in the home. Low-income children exposed to Reach Out and Read show improvements in language development, a critical component of school readiness. Every year, 35% of American children start school without the language skills necessary to learn to read. While Reach Out and Read has grown steadily since it was founded in Boston in 1989, it currently reaches only about 25% of children who live at or near poverty in America. Some 46,500 medical providers have been trained in the Reach Out and Read strategies of early literacy guidance. A non-profit organization, Reach Out and Read receives funding from private, corporate, and foundation sources, as well as through the U.S. Department of Education.
PNN Online, July 19, 2007.
Doctor Prescribes Books to Children
By PETER FROST
pfrost@islandpacket.com
Dr. Gabriel Fornari treats dozens of children each week, but their physical health is not his only concern. The Bluffton physician "prescribes" between 15 to 25 books weekly to kids and their parents as part of the national campaign "Reach Out and Read." When children age 6 months to 4 years come in for a "well-child visit," which includes a checkup, growth and development tracking, and vaccinations, Fornari hands them a new book appropriate for their age. "Reading is absolutely one of the keys to the development of children," Fornari said. "With my patient population, where books aren't always high on priority lists, it's a wonderful opportunity." By reading to their children, parents help with cognitive development. And by arming doctors with books, the odds increase that parents will listen, said state Reach Out and Read spokeswoman Callee Boulware. "The more children are exposed to reading, the better chance they'll have when they enter school," she said. By the time these children start school, they will have a library of six to 10 books. Statewide, the program furnishes about 180,000 books to 95,000 children a year. The program targets practices like Fornari's, which have a high percentage of uninsured and Medicaid patients. Beaufort County has five offices that offer the program, but Fornari, who's handed out books since 2002, is the sole participant south of the Broad River. "We're very lucky to have coverage in (southern Beaufort County), because there's so much need in that part of the state," Boulware said. As more lower-income families relocate to the area, Boulware said she hopes to expand Reach Out and Read programs to other local practices within the next year. The expansion will be made possible, in part, by a partnership with another national reading program, "Reading is Fundamental." That program will give about $38,000 to the S.C. Reach Out and Read program, allowing 11,000 kids to get free books during doctor visits next year. Funding for individual book programs like Fornari's comes primarily from the state and national Reach Out and Read offices. The organization receives most of its money from private donors. Fornari's office distributes books in English, and, increasingly, bilingual copies to serve the growing Spanish-speaking population. Studies on students in the program show it helps with language development. In Bluffton, Fornari said, his program is a "great success." "When some kids come in, the first thing they do is run to the counter and ask for their next book," he said. "It's very nice -- and it's better than giving them candy."
The Island Packet, March 24, 2007.
Visiting the Doctor for a Checkup, and a Book
Reach Out and Read helps pediatricians promote early childhood literacy
By Rehema Ellis
A visit to Boston Medical Center's pediatric clinic shows physical health and early literacy go hand-in-hand. "We know your body's healthy, now let's focus on your mind," says Dr. Barry Zuckerman. "We learned a long time ago that many of our families did not have books in the home, and we just started giving them." In 1989, Zuckerman started the Reach Out and Read program geared toward low-income children. At every visit, children from 6 months to 5 years old get a book from their doctor and parents learn how to make the most of them. "What I do in the office is actually give the book and then model for the parents sometimes about how to read to children at different ages," he says. Children like 17-month-old Devin Ellis and his 6-year-old brother, Diondre, who's now reading above grade level. "I sometimes can't afford to buy books myself, so it's great to have these free books," says mom Stephanie Ellis. Zuckerman's idea has taken off. Today there's a Reach Out and Read program in every state. Eighteen years and 20 million books later, Reach Out and Read is proof that reading to a child at a young age makes a difference in school success. Studies show kids in the program score four to eight points higher on vocabulary tests, giving 2-year-olds an approximate six-month head start developmentally. And parents are thrilled. Vanessa Adams says her 14-month-old daughter, Sophia, looks forward to the new books. "She enjoys the time that we spend together reading," says Adams. "My goal, ultimately, is that giving books to children at visits will be as routine as giving vaccines," says Zuckerman. A prescription for early childhood literacy - one book at a time. View video
NBC News, March 12, 2007.
More Kids to Get Books
Pediatricians promote reading to children
By LISA MICHALS
lmichals@thestate.com
Dr. Philip Lowe, left, helps 1-year-old Da'Qwon Rembert look through a book at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital Outpatient Center. Da'Qwon's mother, Renee, is on the right.More South Carolina children will be getting a "prescription to read" from their pediatricians, after two national reading programs announced a partnership to expand services in South Carolina. Reading is Fundamental will give about $38,000 to the S.C. Reach Out and Read program, enabling Reach Out and Read to give an additional 11,000 kids free books during doctor visits next year. Reach Out and Read spokeswoman Callee Boulware talked about how the new partnership will help South Carolina's children.
QUESTION:
How does Reach Out and Read work?
ANSWER:
"Pediatricians and health care professionals are trained in the theories of early literacy development and specific strategies. ... The single most important thing parents can do to increase a child's success in learning to read is to read to that child. Even parents who themselves cannot read can teach their child a love of books by linking the books to parental love and attention."
QUESTION:
Who is it for?
ANSWER:
The program serves low-income families with children ages 6 months to 5 years old.
QUESTION:
What kinds of books do the doctors give the children?
ANSWER:
"Pediatricians give children a new book to take home at every checkup from 6 months to 5 years. These books are carefully chosen based on developmental and cultural appropriateness. Children participating in the Reach Out and Read program will start school with a library of at least 10 books in their homes."
QUESTION:
What other ways do pediatrics offices promote literacy through Reach Out and Read?
ANSWER:
"Trained volunteers read stories to children while they wait for their appointments. These readers show parents by example that their children enjoy listening to books read aloud."
QUESTION:
Why do you seek to gain pediatricians' support in literacy education?
ANSWER:
"Health care providers see children consistently, early, and have an expert voice that parents and caregivers listen to. ... Providers give the parents important guidance about their child's development, and literacy is a natural component of these well-visits."
QUESTION:
What do pediatricians tell you about the program?
ANSWER:
"Dr. Julie Ballance, who works with the Reach Out and Read program at the Palmetto Health Children's Hospital Outpatient Center, (said) she has families bring back books that are absolutely worn out from being read and enjoyed over and over."
QUESTION:
How many South Carolina children receive free books from either Reach Out and Read or from Reading is Fundamental, which primarily delivers books to children in school settings?
ANSWER:
Reach Out and Read serves 95,000 South Carolina children, Boulware said. Reading is Fundamental and its volunteers distribute 168,000 new books to nearly 48,000 S.C. children annually, including 27,000 children in the Columbia area, RIF spokeswoman Tisha Richardson said.
Reach Michals at (803) 771-8532.
The State, March 21, 2007.
A Prescription to Read Helps Children Reach Their Goals
Educators and health-care providers have collaborated in this low-cost public intervention to promote school readiness in children.
By Lochrane Davids and Elizabeth Bloodsworth
In a Greenville pediatrician's exam room a unique prescription has just been given to 4-year-old Jason and his 9-month-old sister Keisha. The prescription isn't on the usual slip of paper. It's a book, and Jason is excitedly turning pages. As he points out pictures and words to his smiling mother, he exclaims, "I can bring this home!" Keisha has been given a board book and is placidly chewing on a corner. Jason and Keisha's mom didn't graduate from high school, but she dreams her children will go to college. She doesn't know how to make it happen, but in this doctor's exam room she is learning that now is a good time to start preparing for school. She is getting advice about what is one of the most important steps toward school readiness. Reading with your child! The doctor explains that reading is not only vital to a child's educational success; it is a lot of fun for both of you. Reach Out and Read (ROR) was started at Boston City Hospital in 1989 and serves 2.6 million children annually in the United States. Educators and health care providers have collaborated in this low-cost public policy intervention to promote school readiness. Through Reach Out and Read, pediatricians, family practice physicians and nurses are trained to counsel the parents of infants and young children about the benefits of reading aloud daily to their children.
Doctors and nurse practitioners give out a new, developmentally appropriate book as a part of each well child visit to infants and children from 6 months to 6 years of age. Volunteer readers entertain children in the doctors' waiting rooms and model good reading habits for their parents. In South Carolina, Reach Out and Read serves more than 65 percent of children on Medicaid. In Greenville County there are currently seven participating sites, and books are distributed in English and Spanish. Greenville sites are coordinated by United Way's Success By 6/Nurturing Young Children Impact Council in partnership with Greenville County Schools, Greenville Hospital System Children's Hospital, New Horizon's Family Health Services and Greenville County Health Department to achieve mutual goals in school readiness. Federal and private funds help to sustain the program. Today, Greenville joins the nation in celebrating National Reach Out and Read Day. In the United States, approximately one in three children are not ready to start school, endangering their future educational and vocational prospects. This reality has many causes: poverty, poor quality early learning environments, low high school graduation rates among parents and a lack of a language-rich environment at home. One study has shown that children growing up in low-income families hear less than one-third to one-half the number of words at home heard by their peers who are raised in professional or working class families. The vocabulary of 3-year-olds in families receiving public assistance averaged only 500 words, close to the cutoff for developmental delay, as compared to 700 and 1,100 words respectively for working and professional class children. Low educational achievement, higher costs of remedial education and increased school dropout rates are all consequences of poor school readiness. This affects both individuals and our economy. Adults with low educational achievement are more likely to be unemployed, imprisoned, in need of public assistance and to have poor health. Many solutions are utilized to improve school readiness including increasing parenting support, providing high quality preschools and childcare, and developing learning-rich environments in the home. Physicians caring for children have multiple opportunities to interact with young families. They see first hand the benefits of prevention, and have embraced Reach Out and Read. Research shows that Reach Out and Read works. Participating parents are more likely to have children's books in the home and to read more often to their young children. Low-income children who are exposed to Reach Out and Read show significant improvements in language scores when compared to a control group. Reach Out and Read programs strive to promote a love of learning from an early age that will carry over through the child's school career. Health-care providers and parents, like Jason and Keisha's, share the common goal of wanting children to grow up with this love of books and reading. Reach Out and Read provides a prescription to help parents and children expand their horizons and reach their goals!
The Greenville News, March 7, 2007.
Join ROR-SC on Facebook!
ROR National Center