By Cina Huston
The Reading Crisis
In a world full of words, reading is essential for one’s success in school,work, and any other daily interactions within the environment. Unfortunately, the ability to read among U.S. students is quickly declining, leaving the USA with thousands of children whom struggle with basic literacy functions, especially when compared to their predecessors before. According to the National Literacy Institution, approximately 40% of students in the U.S. cannot read at a basic level, and 70% of these students come from low-income households.
The Impact on Little Me
I experienced this challenge firsthand when I moved to America at age 9. Learning a new language and how to read in English while my father faced the financial struggles of moving countries was incredibly tough, not even counting the financial burden of buying multiple basic level reading books to help me thrive in my new environment. This conflict I faced early in life motivated me to take action and help drive change for the ones behind me facing the same hardships.
So What Can You Do?
Here’s an idea: My friends and I started a non-profit through our community book club, focusing on building small, portable libraries to place around our beach town. We worked with our shop class to construct them, and approached local businesses for permission to place the libraries on their properties.
Your Turn
Still feeling hesitant? Here are some encouraging statistics:
100% of the businesses we approached agreed to participate, many offering additional financial support and resources to help expand our initiative. We also enlisted the school carpentry class to build the libraries for free as a project for the students, who stated they loved doing it.
Making a big impact in your community doesn’t always have to be as daunting as people make it seem. These actions help catalyze the creation of new pathways for children to explore their imaginations beyond the digital world, and experience the cognitive stimulation reading a paper book perfumes. The concept of reading is crucial for children’s cognitive development, as backed by the Child Mind Institute, who state that reading has been proven to build empathy and language skills. Just sitting down with your child for five minutes each night can promote learning and make it fun for the entire family.
So, what are you waiting for?