4 Ways to Celebrate National Literacy Month

Welcome to September! This is the month of cooler weather, pumpkin spice and the beginning of fall. But did you also know that September is National Literacy Month? It's the perfect time to spread the joy of reading, especially as the new school year gets rolling. We hope you join in on the celebration -- it truly can change the course of a child's future. Research shows that if a child enters fourth grade struggling to read, they are four times more likely to drop out of high school. It's crucial that all children learn to read, so that they can read to learn. In honor of National Literacy Month, here are four fun, easy ways to celebrate! 

1.Spread the Love of Literacy

What better way to celebrate National Literacy Month than to help spread the love of literacy? Consider volunteering for an organization that does read aloud sessions or educational programming around books. St. Mary's Child Center, Boys and Girls Club and Children's Bureau are just a few organizations that could greatly use your help. The children you inspire through literacy today could be tomorrow's next great writers, educators, scientists and more!

2. Join ReadUP!

Students in Central Indiana need you: in 2017, a national study found that 65% of fourth grade students in public schools were not proficient in reading. You can be a game changer for these children by volunteering for ReadUP. Volunteer just one hour a week (every other week if you volunteer with a partner) to read with students to help them get on track — and stay on track — with grade-level literacy. With 41 sites to choose from, there’s bound to be a location close to your home or school. Plus, our locations span 17 different school districts and six counties! It’s easy to find a location close to you by using the map of locations on the ReadUP page.

3. Share an Inspiring Story Created Locally

Anny the tall girl

Do you enjoy supporting the community and shopping local? Then consider adding the book Anny, The Tall Girl: What Makes You Different Makes You Special to your book collection. Written by Eli Lilly employee Wei-Li Shao and designed by Indianapolis Art Institute student Lanaii Canada, the book truly represents local talent. Best suited for children ages 4 - 8, the story tackles the challenges that children experience for being different. It reinforces the idea that what makes us different also makes us special. With this book, you'll be sharing an inspring story created locally, as well as supporting a good cause. For the first full-year of sales (2018), all royalties will be donated to United Way in support of children's education.   

4. Give Back Through Buying Books

All children love gifts! Consider heading to Goodwill to pick up some books for a child in your life. Not only will these books get them excited about reading, the money spent goes right back into our community through Goodwill. With books starting at just 69 cents, you can't go wrong! Imagine the look on their face when you bring them home a gift basket of books. The hardest part will be deciding which book to read first. We hope you enjoy celebrating National Literacy Month! We'd love to see how you're celebrating -- simply post a photo on social media with the hashtags #uwciGameOn and #NationalLiteracyMonth to share how you are getting involved.   

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Creating a Safe Haven for Children at Flanner House