Reading proficiency by third grade is one of the most important predictors of high school graduation and career success. Yet every year, more than 80 percent of low-income children miss this crucial milestone. The Wake County PTA Council and many Wake County PTA units are participating in an effort to boost literacy throughout their community and change those statistics.
The Wake County PTA Council is part of a community collaborative called WAKE Up and Read. WAKE Up and Read was formed in 2012 by the school system in partnership with several community groups. The goal is to get children reading at grade level by third grade. The collaborative team works together to provide school readiness and literacy-focused family events, increase community awareness about the importance of literacy, and to provide literacy resources and opportunities to families and children. One of WAKE Up and Read’s collaborative efforts is a community-wide book drive.
The goal of the book drive is to provide home libraries for children who may not otherwise have books at home. Last year’s inaugural book drive brought in close to 70,000 books which were distributed to children at six high needs schools in the Wake County Public School System and child care centers located within the same zipcodes as the elementary schools. This year, the collaborative hopes to collect 100,000 books and increase their reach and impact even further. PTA units across the county are contributing to the book drive by serving as collection sites and providing volunteer support for book sorting and distribution. Books will be distributed to children at nine high needs schools, child care centers within the same zipcodes as the schools, and to the most attended community center near each school.
To learn more about WAKE Up and Read, visit: www.wakeupandread.org
To learn more about the Campaign for Grade-level Reading, visit: http://gradelevelreading.net/