LAS VEGAS (KSNV & MyNews3) -- So many Nevadan students struggle with reading, and their teachers wish they had more resources. One organization is tackling both problems.
So many Nevadan students struggle with reading, and their teachers wish they had more resources. One organization is tackling both problems.
Second grader Lorenzo Alegria loves to read, especially books about animals.
“They're fun to read and it gives you information,” Alegria said.
He’s one of hundreds of students at Richard Rundle Elementary School that has joined with Spread the Word Nevada, a literacy non-profit group. It is helping the school which has many students from lower income levels to receive help with reading as well as free books.
“If they're struggling readers, can you imagine not being able to read a newspaper which is written at a fifth grade level? Where do you go from there? We have to get them early hooked into reading and that's what our program does,” said Lisa Habighorst, Executive Director of Spread the Word Nevada.
A lot of the students can’t even do their homework assignments to read 20 minutes at home, because they don’t own books.
“Oh that happens all the time. Many many many kids don't have a book at home to read, and the teachers are consistently providing books to take it home, trying to give them books of their own to take home to read and check out from here and check out from the library,” said Principal Laura Dickensheets.
To kick off the celebration, each child was allowed to pick five books of their very own.
For second grade reader, Olivia Trahan, that is perfect as she loves reading daily. And that is a good habit this school wants to continue to put these children on a pathway toward high school graduation.
Barrick Gold put up the money so Spread the Word could commit to this program at Rundle for the next two years.
-- Sandra Gonzalez \ News 3
