Thursday, September 8 is International Literacy Day. According to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, all children have a right to a free primary education and therefore a right to be literate.
The organization First Book states that the ratio for age appropriate books in middle income neighborhoods is 13 books to one child. In low income neighborhoods the ratio is 1 book to 300 children.
International Literacy Day provides an excellent opportunity to motivate children to read and to participate in service learning projects. Some suggestions for activities include: read to younger children in your school, hold a Read-A-Thon to raise money to buy new books, encourage students to bring gently used but outgrown books to school and donate the books to places like the House of Hope, Peoples Health Clinic, Boys and Girls Club, and/or the YWCA.
The ideas are only hampered by our creativity and time. I am more than willing to assist any school who wishes to observe International Literacy Day with a service learning project. Please contact me at the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087 or by email Jean_Seeland@vccv.org.
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