How you can change a child's life for the better on Houston Reads Day
Houston Texans mascot Toro and the Texans cheerleaders joined students at the campus for a spirit line - one of the many ways non-profit Literacy Now turned up the volume to get kids excited about reading. ABC13 was there as volunteers from our station read to classrooms of 1st, 2nd and 4th grade students.
Former Houston Texan Wade Smith, who wrote "Smitty Hits the Play Books," was a featured author.
"It's always fun to get in front of young people," Smith told ABC13. "They have impressionable minds. They understand that, hey, if they can see somebody that they might relate to or somebody has made it and they're telling them education, literacy is such an important thing, it will change the way that you will perceive things."
"I love kids, I love to read, so it's all my favorite things combined into one," said ABC13's Pooja Lodhia. "These kids were really fantastic. One of them wants to be a police officer, so we're going to have to check up on her with that, but it's so cool to be able to come out to the community and meet so many of our younger viewers."
Along with Pooja, Mycah Hatfield, Erica Simon, and Jonathan Bruce represented the station's team of anchors and reporters at the event.
According to Literacy Now, this year's Houston Reads Day saw 500 volunteers read at 44 schools across the Houston area, reaching more than 17,000 Pre-K through 5th grade students in one day.
The group also exceeded its sponsorship goal, raising $710,000.
Houston Reads Day is dedicated to reading to and engaging with students to raise awareness about the literacy crisis in Houston, while also promoting the importance of reading.
How you can change a child's life for the better on Houston Reads Day
Funds raised will go toward Literacy Now's Reading Intervention Program, which supports young readers, the organization said.
Why is this a literacy crisis? Consider this. According to Literacy Now:
- 41% of young children are not ready for kindergarten
- 68% of 3rd graders do not read at grade level
And the above makes a lasting impact.
High school dropouts are not eligible for 90% of current jobs, Literacy Now says.
In addition, students who are not reading on grade level by 3rd grade are four times more likely not to graduate high school.
Among other ripple effects - 85% of youth in the juvenile justice system are functionally illiterate, and 70% of U.S. inmates cannot read above a 4th grade level.
"We know that if we can make sure our students are reading at grade level by third grade, we know that we give them a greater chance of being successful out here in their life," said Alief ISD Superintendent Dr. Anthony Mays. "They can go find a job, they can go on to college, they can take care of themselves. If they don't read on grade level, we know that's detrimental in a number of different ways."
During Houston Reads Day, volunteer readers are asked to read to classes for 20 minutes and may read to students multiple times in that duration.
Participating districts included Aldine ISD, Alief ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Houston ISD, Royal ISD, Sheldon ISD, Spring Branch ISD, and various charter schools.
The reading time really adds up.
Just that one day of reading totals to over 13,000 minutes of reading.
But keep in mind, the goal is to encourage students to read all year long.
Literacy Now, formerly known as Making It Better, was founded in 2006 to help children rise above their circumstances through tutoring, mentoring, and other services, according to the non-profit.
It has since empowered more than 28,000 children and their parents.