Tuesday, January 25, 2011

100 Pre-K Students to Get Free Monthly Books

The Rotary Club of Peachtree City and the Fayette County Public School System are working to help improve literacy skills among the county’s pre-k students.

The club has signed an agreement to establish the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy program in Fayette County. It has committed to funding 100 eligible pre-k students enrolled in the county’s school system.

Students participating in the program will receive a book delivered to their homes each month via U.S. mail until their fifth birthday. The children’s classic, “The Little Engine that Could,” is the first book each child receives and “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” is the final graduation book that is received when the child turns 5-years old. An expert committee composed of individuals from education, child development, academia, and early childhood literacy has carefully selected the books.

The purpose of the program is to increase early literacy skills by encouraging parents to read to their children at home. Research shows that the more words a child hears, the larger the child’s vocabulary, and the more likely the child will be a proficient reader. Parents cite one of the main reasons why they do not read with their child is the lack of quality books in the home.

In addition to receiving a monthly book, each child also gets a library card along with tips for the parents on how to read aloud with their child.

The program is free to participating families in Georgia and is made possible through private donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants. It costs about $36 per child, per year.

For more information about the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy program, contact Clarice Howard, coordinator of the Fayette County Public School System’s pre-k program via email at howard.clarice@fcboe.org or call 770-486-0149; or contact Karen Stephens of the Rotary Club of Peachtree City via email at karenannstephens@yahoo.com.

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