CLEVELAND — News 5 Cleveland is proud to once again be a part of the annual “If You Give a Child a Book” campaign, kicking off Monday and running through Sept. 9, to ensure children across the country and here in Cleveland have access to books. This year, News 5 is partnering with Stephanie Tubbs Jones School in Cleveland to get more books in the hands of their students.
Learn more about the "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign and donate now by clicking here.
You can also text WEWS to to 50155 to donate with a text.
According to Seeds of Literacy, two-thirds of Cleveland is functionally illiterate. That means they could struggle with everyday things like reading a medicine bottle or filling out a job application.
The struggle starts early. A child who can’t read at grade level by third grade is four times less likely to graduate from high school.
Getting books into a child's home is a huge way to help. That's the mission of our "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.
Over the past few years, News 5 has been able to help send students at Wade Park Elementary School home with new books, and it's making a difference.
“I've just seen a lot of books in hands, which is one of the things that we don't always see, children having books with them,” said Sondra Powers, Assistant Principal at Wade Park Elementary.
This year, News 5 and the Scripps Howard Foundation are partnering with Stephanie Tubbs Jones School to reach under-served children living in poverty, with a special focus on the critical kindergarten through third-grade years when children are still learning to read.
For every $5 donation, the Scripps Howard Fund gives one book to a child in need.
Click here to donate now, or text WEWS to 50155.
The campaign’s goal is to give each student 10 age-appropriate and culturally relevant books per year. Ten is the number of books experts say children need annually to improve their reading skills.
The teachers at Stephanie Tubbs Jones School are extraordinary educators who are dedicated to giving students the tools they need to read. The annual “If You Give a Child a Book …” campaign reinforces their work by helping students build home libraries – filling them with books children have chosen themselves.
Several higher education studies have found that when children select their own books, they are more likely to enjoy reading and score higher on comprehension tests. The Scripps Howard Fund’s partnership with Scholastic Books ensures children get to do just that. We’ll bring Scholastic Book Fairs to Stephanie Tubbs Jones School so students can select their own books to take home.
When children have access to reading materials that represent different abilities, cultures, beliefs, races and ethnicities, they influence attitudes toward those differences. In the process, these books foster positive self-esteem and nurture respect, empathy and acceptance. Books should not be luxuries beyond the reach of low-income children. They are essential for a well-balanced childhood reading diet and pave the pathway to a successful future. Simply put, “If You Give a Child a Book …” you give a child a chance.
Donate to the program now by clicking here and selecting your donation amount or by texting WEWS to 50155.
The Scripps Howard campaign is on target to distribute its 1 millionth book through the "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign. Click here to learn more about the foundation's national efforts to ensure children across the country have access to books.
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