reach out and read · read together and give them new books to take home and read together. ames...

Rotary Club of Ames Morning Early Literacy Project

Reach Out and Read

RotaryClubofAmesMorninghelpedstarttheReachOutandRead(ROR)programinStoryCountyinordertohelppreparechildrentosucceedinschool.IntheRORmodel,doctorsencouragefamiliestoreadtogetherandgivethemnewbookstotakehomeandreadtogether.AmesMorningRotarycontinuestosupportRORannuallyasaLeadSponsor.

Why:Thesinglemostimportantactivityforbuildingtheknowledgerequiredforeventualsuccessinreadingisreadingaloudtochildren.(BecomingaNationofReaders)RORisanevidence-basedschoolreadinessinitiativethataddressestheconcernthatonly48%ofparentsintheUnitedStatesreadtotheiryoungchildrendaily.FamiliesservedbyReachOutandReadreadtogethermoreoften,andtheirchildrenenterkindergartenwithlargervocabularies,strongerlanguageskills,andasix-monthdevelopmentaledge.(www.reachoutandread.org)InAmerica34%ofchildrenenteringkindergartenlackthebasiclanguageskillsneededtolearntoread.Ameshasseenatrendtowardimprovedschoolreadiness,from62%ofenteringkindergartnersdemonstratingearlyliteracyskillsin2008to80%in2013.

What:TheRORmodelhasthreecomponents:1)childrenreceivebooksateachcheck-upfrom6monthsto5years,2)doctorsencouragefamiliestoreadalouddailyathome,and3)waitingroomsareliteracy-richenvironments.

Who:AmesMorningRotariansfirstinvitedMcFarlandpediatricianstotryROR.ThenthenonprofitorganizationRaisingReadersinStoryCountybecametheofficialsponsoroftheprogramandtookresponsibilityforprovidingbooks,funding,ReadingCorners,andbiannualProgressReports.By2007allprimarycarephysiciansinthecountywereparticipating.Almost10,000booksaredistributedthroughROReachyear.RORplacesspecialemphasisonservingchildrengrowingupinfamilieswithlow-incomes.Tohelpreachchildrenwhomaynotseethedoctorregularlyinthefirsttwoyears,RaisingReadersalsoprovidesbookstostaffattheMid-IowaCommunityActionWICClinicinAmessotheycanfollowtheRORmodelwiththeirclients.

When:In2002AmesMorningRotaryfirstcreatedareadingcornerintheMcFarlandClinicpediatricwaitingroomwithabookcase,booksandgliderrocker.Thentheclubbeganpurchasingchildren’sbooksforROR-trainedpediatricianstogiveoutat6-monthcheck-ups.

Where:InStoryCounty,theReachOutandReadprogramoccursindoctors’officesandintheWICClinic.In2006AmesMorningRotaryhelpedlead“RotariansforReachOutandRead,”aD6000campaignthatraised$30,000toexpandRORinIowa.WecontinuetoencourageotherclubstoconsidersupportingRORprogramsintheircommunities.www.reachoutandread.org

How:ThemodelrequiresaMedicalDirectorandSiteCoordinator.AStoryCountybookselectionteamchoosesage-appropriatebooksforeachcheck-uplevel.Titleschangeeveryfewyears.GenerouslocalLeadSponsorsmakeannualdonationstoensureanadequatesupplyofbooks.RotaryClubofAmesMorningfunds1,000booksthatdoctorsgiveto6-montholds.RotaryClubofAmesfunds1,000booksfor2-year-olds

Reach Out and Read Story County