At the time of year when folks are blowing dust off their copies of “The Night Before Christmas” to read to the little tykes, there is more reading aloud going on than at any other time. Conversely, as schools are winding up the last days of classes for 2010, it is hard to reconcile the fact that kids are going through the grades, promoted each year, and coming out the other side unable to read.
BookPALS is an organization made up of professional actors who volunteer to “adopt” two classrooms in the cities where they live, and once a week, go into those classrooms and read aloud to the kids. Over 2,000 dedicated BookPALS volunteers across the nation serve more than 100,000 preschool to 5th grade students weekly by reading aloud at public schools, hospitals and cultural institutions. BookPALS is the core of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation’s Children’s Literacy Initiative, and recognizes that actors are gifted storytellers and can bring literature to life, making reading and writing and creativity exciting and cool. To volunteer as a reader, or to donate to support this great program that is thriving across the nation, visit bookpals.net
And when you get home tonight, if there are kids there trying to finish final projects or study for final exams before the holiday break—see how you can help.
Change by Doing 