Cuba Receives Read First! Designation for Placing Greater Focus on Reading

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Cuba Receives Read First! Designation for Placing Greater Focus on Reading

December 28, 2009

PROGRAM CONTACT:
Julie Douglas, Family Program Specialist »

The Missouri Humanities Council selects Cuba as one of 10 communities state-wide for the Read First! program

CUBA, MO – Cuba is taking steps to promote reading and literacy throughout the community with the Missouri Humanities Council’s Read First! program.

Literacy is more than reading traffic signs and decoding instructions. It is also the ability to engage the qualities of thought in a narrative, to imagine layers of possible meanings, to judge distinction and quality. Literacy is learned throughout one’s life, beginning at birth.

Read First!’s goal is to increase literacy by promoting awareness and participation in reading to babies, toddlers and preschoolers and appreciating the significance of storytelling in children’s lives.

“Reading and telling stories to a young child is one of the most important things a parent can do to lay a foundation for the child’s future learning,” said Julie Douglas, Missouri Humanities Council family program specialist, “but family reading also does so much more than that, including strengthening and enriching the bond between a parent and child.”

Douglas said that by working to create a culture of family reading in the community, the number of children who are read to regularly by a caring adult will increase markedly.

Activities throughout Cuba began in October at Cuba Fest with different high school groups sharing stories and activities with children. Other activities will include Read First! workshops, Read from the Start programs, storytelling events and community readers at preschools and in kindergarten classrooms through June 2010.

“We’re very honored and excited to be a Read First! community,” said Laura Heyer, program director of Read First! in Cuba. “Our community has always believed reading is an essential part of a child’s development, and we’re confident Read First! will increase the literacy in local children.”

To learn more about Read First! in Cuba, contact Heyer at 573- 885-2534, ext. 1199.

Read First! will also be implemented in nine other communities: Butler County, La Plata, Macon, Marion County, Moberly, Mountain View, Savannah, Tarkio and Washington. It is being supported by the Missouri Humanities Council in collaboration with local libraries, civic groups, schools, child care organizations and others within the selected communities.