Have You Read to Your Kids Today?

Timsons Supports Canadian Children's Book Center

Timsons is proud to support the Canadian Children's Book Centre as part of Timsons commitment to the advancement of literacy throughout North America .

Since 2000, in cooperation with the ministries of education, school boards and library organizations across Canada the Canadian Children's Book Centre has given every Grade One student a free Canadian children's book. The book is given to be taken home by each child to keep and to read with their parents. This far-reaching and innovative annual book giveaway program, which provides over 500,000 books to Grade One children across Canada, has TD Bank Financial Group as its major benefactor with other companies and organizations such as Timsons supporting this major endeavor as well.

This year's book, Too Many Books, was written by Gilles Tibo and illustrated by Bruno St-Aubin. The publisher is Scholastic Canada. This book will be distributed during Book Week, November 15-22.

For more information please visit the Canadian Children's Book Centre website www.bookcentre.ca .

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Reading and Running Connection

Timsons' Steve Riportella, an accomplished ultra runner and big fan of reading, participated with Plainfield School in Des Plaines , Illinois on the “ Reading and Running Connection Program”.

Every student was required to read 10 hours and run 10 miles; (each reading hour = 1 mile and four laps around Plainfield School Play Ground area = 1 mile). Each student was encouraged to reach a 25 mile goal and each class set goals on how far they wanted to travel.

Steve Riportella visited one of the classes during its last week of the program and discussed his running and reading accomplishments and how they affected his life. With thanks to Steve and the encouragement of 4^th grade teacher Deanne Riportella, the class met its goal of traveling over 1,071 miles - which is from Plainfield, Illinois to Colorado Springs, Colorado .

Congratulations to Deanne Riportella's 4^th grade class for reaching their goal !!!

Steve's presentation to the class                Counting up the laps to earn miles

           
The Finish Line

Des Plaines Plainfield School 4th grade class

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Programs at Center for Literacy

In Philadelphia, there are an estimated 400,000 adults with less than a fifth grade education. The high school drop out rate in Philadelphia is 38%. From 1982-1992, the earnings of those without a high school diploma dropped 12%. In Pennsylvania, according to the 2000 Census, one of every ten residents is an immigrant.

In order to meet the diverse literacy needs of our adult learners, the Center for Literacy has created a number of specialized programs, including a wide range of Community Classes and Volunteer Tutoring. CFL conducts community classes at nearly 100 locations in Philadelphia and Delaware County at schools, public libraries and community sites. Classes range from multi-level Adult Basic Education to GED exam preparation, to Workforce Education and English as a Second Language instruction.

CFL community classes are designed to accommodate adult schedules and are offered in morning, afternoon and evening sessions. They are generally open entry/open exit, and are offered on a year-round basis. The curricula and materials are individually tailored to help learners meet both their long and short-term goals. Learners interested in enrolling in community classes are asked to attend an orientation. Orientations are conducted in various convenient locations throughout the area.

Imagine Video

For More information

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The Reach Out and Read Program

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Chicago Literacy

The Reach Out and Read (ROR) program seeks to make early literacy a standard part of pediatric primary care. Pediatricians encourage parents to read aloud to their young children from books they are given during doctor visits. Families receive books each time they see the doctor for check-ups from 6 months through 5 years of age. Parents learn that reading aloud is the most important thing they can do to help their children love books and to start school with the skills they need to learn and read.

Irving Harris and the Harris Foundations spearheaded the effort to bring ROR to Chicago. In early 1997, the Harris Foundation began working with Dr. Barry Zuckerman and the ROR National Center to include Chicago's pediatric outpatient and community-based health centers. The Harris Foundation pledged $100,000 in the year 2000 to ROR and has helped secure continued funding through 2001.

The 1998, The Harris Foundation partnered the Literacy Chicago to coordinate citywide ROR literacy efforts. Literacy Chicago is the city's largest adult and family literacy organization. The aim of Literacy Chicago is to provide a network of adult and family literacy services that are available to all ROR families.

The Chicago Citywide effort currently consists of 75 ROR sites throughout Chicago and the surrounding communities. Each year these ROR sites serve over 188,000 at risk children between the ages of 6 months and five years annually. Over 200,000 books are shared with these families each year.

Sharing books with families and encouraging support of language development makes a significant different in the literacy activities in the home. Families involved with ROR tell stories and read to their children at a higher rate than similar families. In addition, children use more expressive language and develop a broader vocabulary.

Reach Out and Read offers everyone the opportunity to be a storyteller and volunteer their services to the children in the clinics. Additionally, ROR Chicago solicits contributions of books for children and financial assistance to help the program. Please join us in this effort by contacting Literacy Chicago at info@literacychicago.org

For more information go to

Reach Out and Read