From a young age, many children are taught the importance of reading — from being put to sleep by fairy tales, to reading their first book on their own. But not all children have the same opportunities to engage in these simple pleasures.
The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is trying to help bridge that gap by teaming up with Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, an annual campaign that encourages millions of children and adults around the world to read the same book together on the same day. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the event and the first time the museum has been involved with it.
Jumpstart is a national organization that teams up with college students to help provide an optimal learning experience to preschoolers in low-income neighborhoods. This Thursday, people around the world will be reading the book “Not Norman: A Goldfish Story” by Kelly Bennett, and college students will be reading it to preschoolers at the museum. The kids get to take the book home as well, museum director of development Debbie Paine said.
The reading event will kickstart the museum’s Once Upon A Fall celebration that lasts through the weekend. The weekend’s events include a book reading for preschoolers by college students, a book fair, a family ball and a breakfast with Aaron Lieberman, guest speaker and founder of Jumpstart.
“He’s going speak on how important it is for parents to engage their children and get them reading before they go to school,” Paine said.
Samara Rhett, the volunteer and community relations coordinator at the museum, said they have around 20 volunteers for the event, but she is hoping for more. The volunteering students are from the Tempe and downtown campuses of Arizona State University and Grand Canyon University, Rhett said.
The advantages of this event go far past providing fun for the children, she said. It allows them to develop their social skills and build a love for reading.
“It gets them ready for school,” she said.
Yvonne Cabrera, a special education and elementary education major at ASU, said she understands the importance of early learning and supports what the museum is doing.
“It’s a great idea. Reading is so important to start at a young age because it helps the children develop in a rich literate environment,” Cabrera said. “It’s important for the community to come together and promote learning as much as possible, and partnering with the Phoenix Children’s museum is a great place to start.”
The event is the first of its kind, but both Rhett and Paine are hoping for a big turnout.
“It usually takes a few years when you start new fundraising events to get enough buzz about it,” Paine said.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the event can contact Samara Rhett via email, and information about tickets and the full schedule of Once Upon A Fall events can be found at the museum’s website.
Contact the reporter at steven.hernandez.2@asu.edu
