Published: February 19, 2008 11:11 am      

Thomsen, Paddack support quality early childhood education

Ada — Imagine young children spending hours each week in a parent's lap, reading their favorite storybooks together. Then imagine these same children arriving at kindergarten, already in love with the printed page. The Raising a Reader® program helps make this happen for many children in the Ada area.

Raising a Reader® is a national early literacy program funded in partnership between Smart Start Oklahoma and Ada Area Success by 6. It is aimed at childcare centers and preschools in low-income neighborhoods and in communities where parents may have limited literacy skills or where English is a second language.

Raising A Reader® fosters healthy brain development, parent-child bonding and early literacy skills critical for kindergarten success by engaging parents in a daily read-aloud routine with their children from birth to age five. Through a child-driven process, Raising a Reader® rotates bright red bags filled with the highest quality age-appropriate books into homes each week. The book rotation, combined with research-based training and a strong connection to the local library, leads to a love of books that lasts a lifetime.

Raising a Reader® is currently offered in five early childhood centers in Pontotoc County, serving 149 children and their families. Research states that one in three children nationwide enters kindergarten lacking basic pre-reading skills. A high percentage of these children never develop the strong reading skills essential for school and life success. Raising a Reader® creates a fun, easy way to start families with young children on the path to literacy.

“Our parents and children look forward to getting new books to read each week. The children love taking the book bags home and reading their books,” said Judy Ross, Director of Central Bible Academy.

State Rep. Todd Thomsen, R-Ada, and State Senator Susan Paddack, D-Ada, are supporters of quality early childhood education and have been instrumental in making families with young children a priority in Oklahoma.

Their support has enabled Smart Start Oklahoma to provide funding to local communities across the state, making projects like Raising a Reader® a reality for many young children.

For more information about Ada Area Success by 6, contact Rozina Newby, Community Coordinator, at (580) 427-5004 or email Rozina.newby@adaunitedway.org.

Thomsen serves as vice chairman for the House Education Committee, and Paddack serves as co-chairman for the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

Smart Start Oklahoma is a grassroots initiative that supports families as they raise children who are safe, healthy, eager to learn and ready to succeed in school. By making local civic and business leaders, educators and volunteers aware of children's needs and by collaborating with local service providers, Smart Start makes better use of programs or resources that already exist. There are currently 18 Smart Start Oklahoma communities, including Ada Area Success By 6.