The positive impact of reading stories to children fosters a tremendous gain in literacy skills, as well as emotional and social development. For children attending Head Start, a home with no books is a reality, and so is having no one to read them.
The Alberta Head Start in Tuscaloosa is a Coaching for Literacy partner that takes a comprehensive approach to meet the needs of children, including attention to social services, health, parent engagement, and education. We know and understand the importance of reading books to children and how it offers a range of language learning processes.
Through funds raised from the University of Alabama’s #Fight4Literacy Game presented by International Paper, Coaching for Literacy has been able to provide grants for the past two years to the Alberta Head Start.
Keep reading to learn how those donations made a difference for Jennifer’s son. Interested in supporting the campaign this season? For every $10, Coaching for Literacy can donate two books to a child at the Alberta Head Start program to help kids learn to read.
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Contributed by: Jennifer, Alberta Head Start
Four years ago, my son was 4 and had just been accepted into Alberta Head Start. It would be the first time he had been in school or with anyone other than family. I’m a teacher and I felt he should have been school-ready, but with hindsight being the great educator, I know now he wasn’t.
With the incredible help of Alberta Head Start, however, he fit in well and, for the most part, he enjoyed his days. More important is what he learned from the group. When he moved to kindergarten, he already knew his alphabet, colors and shapes.
The foundation he received at Alberta Head Start, much different from what his sister learned at the county Pre-K program, allowed him to thrive once regular school started. He is already known as a Super Reader and is on grade level in almost every third-grade subject.
I hope this program continues to bless children and get them ready to succeed in school.
