Organization: READY READERS
Mission: PREPARES PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN LIVING IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES TO BECOME READERS.
Activities: PRIOR TO THE MARCH 2020 SCHOOL CLOSURES DUE TO COVID-19, READY READERS HAD 406 TRAINED AND SUPPORTED READERS WHO READ WEEKLY TO MORE THAN 10,000 PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WHO ATTENDED 218 EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS IN THE ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN AND SURROUNDING AREAS. OUR READERS READ HIGH-QUALITY CHILDREN'S BOOKS EVERY WEEK FOR 30 MINUTES TO A CLASSROOM OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN. THE SAME READER ALWAYS READS TO THE SAME CHILDREN AT THE SAME TIME EACH WEEK, FORMING STRONG BONDS BETWEEN THE READER, THE CHILDREN, THE TEACHERS, AND THE CENTER. (SEE SCH O FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)IN ADDITION TO WEEKLY READING SESSIONS, EACH CHILD RECEIVES AT LEAST SEVEN HIGH-QUALITY, NEW BOOKS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SINCE MARCH 2020, THE PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN OFFERED VIRTUALLY WHEN POSSIBLE. DESPITE SETBACKS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, READY READERS GAVE AWAY MORE THAN 90,000 BOOKS DURING THE 2019/2020 SCHOOL YEAR. READY READERS ALSO GIVES THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS THE SAME SEVEN GIFT BOOKS, WITH EXTENSION ACTIVITIES. READY READERS PROVIDES STATE-APPROVED, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS PARTICIPATING IN THE WEEKLY STORYTIME PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OTHER CENTERS AND LOCATIONS (EX: COMMUNITY COLLEGES, EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES, AND PRESCHOOL CENTERS, WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR READY READERS PROGRAMMING). ADDITIONALLY, READY READERS OFFERS FREE LITERACY-BASED FIELDTRIPS.
NTEE category: Education
Secondary category: Youth Development