Knox County Reading Foundation
News and Events
BANNERS!
We are so happy to see our banners hanging at elementary schools, preschools, and childcare centers throughout Knox County! We strongly appreciate all of the support we are receiving to get the word out about the importance of reading with children!
Currently we have 72 banners hanging around town: 55 at Knox County Schools, 15 at childcare centers & 2 at local businesses.
Banners are available upon request!
Winning Schools Announced
The following four Knox County Schools were recognized yesterday for having the most students finishing the Knox County Public Library's Summer Reading Club:
Sequoyah, Beaumont, Mount Olive and Sterchi Elementary Schools
Each winning school will host a nationally acclaimed children's author for an in-school assembly, provided by the Knox County Public Library and the Children's Reading Foundation of Knox County.
Check out The Children's Reading Foundation of Knox County's Facebook page for the media coverage.
KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS - KIDS WHO READ SUCCEED CONTINUES READING PROGRAM
The Children's Reading Foundation continues its push for cultivating a culture a young readers in Knox County. On August 22 Knox County Schools kicked off this school year's KIDS WHO READ SUCCEED Reading Program in the PreK and elementary schools.
The children and the child-chosen Reading Pal were asked to make a reading promise to each other. This commitment is that they'll read together every day for 20 minutes. The student and the Reading Pal who made the reading promise both received a colorful 'Let's READ!' band. We want our children to improve their reading skills so that they'll be more prepared for our globally competitive world. We all know that the best way to improve any skill is by practicing it.
Maybe you've been asked to be a Reading Pal-- what an honor! Enjoy your time cuddled up with your buddy.
Do you know anyone wearing a 'Let's READ' band? Commend them on making the reading promise.
How soon can we reach 5 million minutes read by Knox County students outside of school? The Children's Reading Foundation will keep you posted!
TRIBE ONE'S FREEDOM SCHOOLS CELEBRATE READING!
TRIBE ONE'S CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND FREEDOM SCHOOLS CENTERS PROGRAM AROUND READING
The program serves 50 children in grades 3-8. The program provides summer enrichment helping children fall in love with reading, increase self-esteem, and generate more positive attitudes toward learning. Children are taught using a model curriculum that supports children and families around five essential components: high quality academic enrichment; parent and family involvement; civic engagement and social action; intergenerational leadership development; and nutrition, health and mental health.
On July 7 The Children's Reading Foundation of Knox County hosted a Parent Education Night for the parents of the Freedom Schools students. Over 40 parents heard about and registered for various opportunities to help raise young readers.
The following were the presenting partners:
* THE CHILDREN'S READING FOUNDATION OF KNOX COUNTY
* IMAGINATION LIBRARY
* THE LITERACY IMPERATIVE
* KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS PARENT UNIVERSITY NOW OFFERING PARENT EMPOWERMENT CLASSES
* KNOX COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
* GREAT SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP
Tips and programs on incorporating reading into the lives of our children on a daily basis were shared.
Recent Letter to Editor - Knoxville News Sentinel
Letters: Learning to read avoids future problems
Published Monday, June 6, 2011
On behalf of The Friends of the Knox County Public Library, I applaud Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam for her advocacy of family literacy and the Knox County Reading Awareness Campaign. On May 16 Haslam was joined by community leaders at the Burlington Library.
Haslam challenged our families to read together for 20 minutes every day. It is such a simple solution to so many of our community’s woes. Truly reading, especially to the youngest of us, is the most effective, powerful and simple way to combat illiteracy, poverty and crime. The Friends of The Library has for years supported the library’s advocacy for early-childhood literacy, especially through the annual Children’s Festival of Reading and the Summer Library Club. The library offers every family in the community opportunities to learn and grow, regardless of income levels, and there is a branch library in every region of the county.
We offer hearty congratulations to the newly established Children’s Reading Foundation of Knox County, which is housed with the Great Schools Partnership and is funded by the Elgin Foundation. We stand together with them in their goal of ensuring that 90 percent of all third-graders will read at grade level, up from the current rate of less than 50 percent. And please join with the Friends of the Library in accepting Haslam’s challenge: make summer reading a family habit and a high priority.
The Friends of the Knox County Public Library supports and encourages the Summer Library Club that challenges readers to turn a few extra pages and read for 20 minutes a day. There’s a program for preschoolers, school-age children, teens and adults available in all library branches.
Elnora Williams
President
Friends of the Knox
County Public Library
