Approximately 40 percent of children in the United States are not reading at the appropriate level by the end of third grade. This statistic is even higher in the city of Memphis.
Hopefully, through the efforts of Alayne Shoenfeld and Volunteer Memphis, more kids in Memphis will see the importance of being able to read.
On March 4, Volunteer Memphis will be celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday by participating in the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day.
In five Memphis-area schools, Volunteer Memphis participants will read a favorite book or any book they think will interest children.
The purpose of the program is to focus on the issue of reading, and what better way to influence kids than by having volunteers demonstrate how important — and fun — reading can be?
Shoenfeld says the program is a good way to “make a big party out of the joy of reading.”
March 4 will mark the fifth year the National Education Association has celebrated the birthday of Dr. Seuss with Read Across America Day.
Last year, there were celebrations in all 50 states, touching an estimated 35 million readers of all ages – making the event the largest one-day literary celebration in the United States last year.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 53 percent of children ages 3 to 5 were read to daily by a family member in 1999.
Another statistic from the NCES says 26 percent of children who were read to three or four times in the last week recognized the letters of the alphabet. Only 14 percent of children read to less frequently recognized the letters.
The Memphis celebration of Read Across America Day will be a kickoff to “It’s Time to Read Month.”
Shoenfeld said she believes the celebration is a good way to encourage kids to read because Dr. Seuss has affected so many people in so many generations.
“We think that this opportunity will help kids to focus on the joy and importance of reading,” Shoenfeld said.
Organizations interested in participating in Read Across America Day should contact Alayne Shoenfeld of Volunteer Memphis at 458-3288.
