Raising a Reader

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The Onslow County Partnership for Children offers the early literacy program Raising A Reader in select child care facilities throughout the county.  Raising A Reader is an evidence‐based early literacy and parent engagement program that has demonstrated it can improve the reading readiness skills of children birth to age five. With nearly half of all U.S. children entering kindergarten lacking the early reading skills needed for success in school, the Raising A Reader organization has set a long‐term goal of reaching one million children and families. Raising A Reader currently serves 110,000 children through its 2,500 affiliate sites across the country.  In Onslow County, up to 175 children and their families are being served.

Participating families receive a bright red bag each week filled with award winning books.  Through a rotation system, each participating child is exposed to approximately 100 books per year. Parents and caregivers receive guidance on using interactive “read-aloud” techniques that stimulate early brain development and language acquisition. The training helps parents and caregivers-even those with limited English proficiency or low literacy skills-learn how to engage with their child by sharing in a book together. Through the program, families are also connected to their local public library. In the spring, participating children receive a blue library bag to keep and continue the practice of borrowing books and “book cuddling” with their parents.

“An increasingly diverse population has drastically augmented the number of students that have difficulty reading, affecting young and older students alike.  Studies have shown that as many as 6 million middle and high school students can’t read at acceptable levels, and only 51 percent of college-bound students were prepared for college-level reading,” said Lisa Davis, Early Learning Specialist for the Onslow County Partnership for Children.

Since it was founded in 1999, Raising A Reader has reached more than 700,000 children through its affiliations with local organizations such as United Way, Head Start, public libraries, home visiting programs and early learning programs and early learning programs in school districts.

Anyone needing more information or interested in children’s literacy issues in our community, please contact Lisa Davis at the Onslow County Partnership for Children at (910) 938-2967.