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Reading Is Fundamental in Toledo
By Local Officials of
Reading Is Fundamental
Guest Column
Upon the completion of a
successful school year, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)
officials are proud to report on the progress of the program
in Toledo.
RIF officials believe it
imperative to offer their heartfelt thanks to the Rev. K.
David Johnson, D.Min, and the congregation of the historical
Third Baptist Church for administering and promoting the
program. We truly thank you and pray that God will continue
blessing you bountifully.
In total, we had nine
sites implementing the program for over 2,000 public school
students from the kindergarten through eighth grade. Our
sites included Byrnedale, Glenwood, Jones at Gunckel Park,
Keyser, Pickett Academy and Leverette elementary schools
along with Pinewood Tabernacle, St. Paul and Third Baptist
churches.
For the purpose of
promoting a love for reading and a respect for books, RIF
distributed books to students at each of the nine sites two
times during the school year. The whole idea was to give the
students an opportunity to own a book of their choices and
interests. This is one method of teaching students that
books contain the world’s hidden secrets that many people
will never know.
It was encouraging to note
the enthusiasm among the principals and teachers in using
this program to help unify their communities. On RIF days,
activities were open to the general public and the media as
the presenters emphasized reading and perseverance. Students
were reminded to always work hard and never give up
regardless of the difficulty of the task demanded.
At one of the programs in
which Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur was a presenter, Hubie L.
Pitts, RIF coordinator, presented an historical portrayal of
Harriet Tubman that summarized the entire program. Students
and adults alike were physically and emotionally moved. Many
students requested an encore performance and many people in
the community have invited Pitts to do the portrayal for
their clubs and other social functions.
To climax RIF’s
achievements for the year, Keyser Elementary School was
designated by RIF to be a Local Impact Site for its “Be
Smart” campaign. Keyser School will receive an allocation of
books purchased with funds raised by the local Macy’s
department store.
We are exceedingly excited
and proud of RIF’s local accomplishments this year, and we
anticipate greater accomplishments in the fall, for the next
school year. |
