University News
WIU-QC Receives AmeriCorps Literacy Grant
June 25, 2014
MOLINE, IL -- Western Illinois University-Quad Cities and WQPT have received a grant from AmeriCorps for an early childhood literacy program.
The award totaling $154,321, which is funded by the Serve Illinois Commission, will be used to implement WQPT's "Ready to Learn" program, which enhances and expands literacy for at-risk and under-served children in the Quad Cities area, according to Scott Brouette, assistant director of student affairs at WIU-QC. AmeriCorps volunteers, coordinated by Brouette, will be assigned to area schools.
The volunteers will be provided with books to expand the classroom library, as well as access to additional reading material from the AmeriCorps Member Lending Library. In addition, education kits will be available that provide materials and supplies to implement activities in the classroom.
WQPT's "Ready to Learn" program, which is a national initiative, uses award-winning PB programs like "Arthur" and "Sesame Street" to complement reading programs. The "Ready to Learn" mission is: Watch It! Read It! Do It!, with the idea that children can learn from the PBS educational children's programming, and follow up with reading materials and hands-on activities to further reinforce learning, Brouette explained.
"National studies indicate that one out of three Kindergarten children lack skills to succeed in school. By partnering with AmeriCorps and WQPT, we will help area children increase their literacy skills, and hopefully instill a lifelong love of reading and learning," he added.
For more information about the literacy grant, contact Brouette at (309) 764-2400 or S-Brouette@wiu.edu.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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