Kaniel and Laura Medrano reading at the local library
Kaniel studying at the local libraryBy: Priscilla Kathe
Edited By: Chari Sutherland
The future of news print lies in the tiny hands of children. Local reading programs are helping kids today learn to be readers of the future. News print is in need of a new generation of readers to keep their publications running. Reading programs are a tool to get kids reading and enjoying it.
“If you can get a kid that reads for pleasure you’ve got it made,” said Barbara Dinnan a librarian at the Athens-Clarke County Library.
Dinnan and the Athens-Clarke County Library along with book stores and schools have set up many programs to help children learn to love reading. With programs such as Bedtime Stories, Read to Rover, summer reading programs and Japanese Storytime it is no wonder that they are getting kids excited about reading.
“These programs are geared to reading skills and fun incentives to read,” said Dinnan.
The one that gets the most response is the Read to Rover program. This program has children reading to a certified therapy dog.
Like the library, at Barnes and Noble book stores they have set up many programs to get children reading. The main program at Barnes and Noble is their summer reading program.
“The summer reading program, yes, absolutely [helps children become future readers] a lot of kids and teachers look forward to it,” said Patt Foley a day employee at Barnes and Noble book stores.
The program’s main goal is to reward kids for reading. Kids read eight books of their choosing and write in a journal about what they liked best about the book. The kids then turn the journal into the store and receive a coupon for a free book.
Borders book store also holds a reading time for children once a month. The participation at these events is more like a play date and all depends on the parent’s encouragement, said Peggy Gaffny a employee of Borders book stores. This fun atmosphere helps children think of reading as something fun other than required school work.
“You notice a difference in who has come to the programs and kids who haven’t,” said Loran Hollahan a librarian at the Athens-Clarke County Library.
“As for the reading ability, once they go to school they hit the ground running. They check out books other kids are scared of.”
The programs at the different bookstores and libraries are all optional so some children will be left out; however there are many of the same types of programming at schools as well. At Gum Springs Elementary School in Jackson County they have a very popular program called Accelerated Reader.
“In order to encourage kids to read, students get incentives based on the number of points they earn,” said Kari Dawson, a fifth grade teacher at Gum Springs Elementary. “They earn points by reading books and taking the corresponding book test.”
The elementary school also receives the kid’s addition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution every Wednesday. This exposes the children to reading news print even further and enhances their reading ability.
This reading ability is important for the news print business as well as the children. Newspapers and other medias need consumers who can comprehend the information that is laid before them. These programs obviously help children with their ability to read, but they also help news print readership. Adults who never learned to love to read are far less likely to pick up a newspaper or magazine.
With television, internet and video games all vying for kids attention it is important to make sure that children still read and enjoy it.
The programs at Barnes and Noble, Borders, elementary schools and the Athens-Clarke County Library are pretty constant.
Other than the normal influx from kids growing up and going to school the programs are all a success.
“They go off to preschool, it grows and changes with the kids,” Dinnan said.
With a full calendar of events one can see why the kids keep coming back.
By helping children learn to love reading, people like Dinnan are helping the news print business. When these children go to the business world they will be the consumers of news print.
Edited By: Chari Sutherland
The future of news print lies in the tiny hands of children. Local reading programs are helping kids today learn to be readers of the future. News print is in need of a new generation of readers to keep their publications running. Reading programs are a tool to get kids reading and enjoying it.
“If you can get a kid that reads for pleasure you’ve got it made,” said Barbara Dinnan a librarian at the Athens-Clarke County Library.
Dinnan and the Athens-Clarke County Library along with book stores and schools have set up many programs to help children learn to love reading. With programs such as Bedtime Stories, Read to Rover, summer reading programs and Japanese Storytime it is no wonder that they are getting kids excited about reading.
“These programs are geared to reading skills and fun incentives to read,” said Dinnan.
The one that gets the most response is the Read to Rover program. This program has children reading to a certified therapy dog.
Like the library, at Barnes and Noble book stores they have set up many programs to get children reading. The main program at Barnes and Noble is their summer reading program.
“The summer reading program, yes, absolutely [helps children become future readers] a lot of kids and teachers look forward to it,” said Patt Foley a day employee at Barnes and Noble book stores.
The program’s main goal is to reward kids for reading. Kids read eight books of their choosing and write in a journal about what they liked best about the book. The kids then turn the journal into the store and receive a coupon for a free book.
Borders book store also holds a reading time for children once a month. The participation at these events is more like a play date and all depends on the parent’s encouragement, said Peggy Gaffny a employee of Borders book stores. This fun atmosphere helps children think of reading as something fun other than required school work.
“You notice a difference in who has come to the programs and kids who haven’t,” said Loran Hollahan a librarian at the Athens-Clarke County Library.
“As for the reading ability, once they go to school they hit the ground running. They check out books other kids are scared of.”
The programs at the different bookstores and libraries are all optional so some children will be left out; however there are many of the same types of programming at schools as well. At Gum Springs Elementary School in Jackson County they have a very popular program called Accelerated Reader.
“In order to encourage kids to read, students get incentives based on the number of points they earn,” said Kari Dawson, a fifth grade teacher at Gum Springs Elementary. “They earn points by reading books and taking the corresponding book test.”
The elementary school also receives the kid’s addition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution every Wednesday. This exposes the children to reading news print even further and enhances their reading ability.
This reading ability is important for the news print business as well as the children. Newspapers and other medias need consumers who can comprehend the information that is laid before them. These programs obviously help children with their ability to read, but they also help news print readership. Adults who never learned to love to read are far less likely to pick up a newspaper or magazine.
With television, internet and video games all vying for kids attention it is important to make sure that children still read and enjoy it.
The programs at Barnes and Noble, Borders, elementary schools and the Athens-Clarke County Library are pretty constant.
Other than the normal influx from kids growing up and going to school the programs are all a success.
“They go off to preschool, it grows and changes with the kids,” Dinnan said.
With a full calendar of events one can see why the kids keep coming back.
By helping children learn to love reading, people like Dinnan are helping the news print business. When these children go to the business world they will be the consumers of news print.
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