We did it Pekin! Altrusa International of Pekin, IL was awarded a grant for its After School Tutoring and Reading Program from Altrusa International Foundation, Inc. For more information, visit www.altrusa.org/foundation. The race has begun to help as many students as possible with funds provided to improve and excel at reading. Since applying for the grant, we’ve applied with local organizations as well to also help with funding. So much effort is going into literacy in Pekin, it’s easy to imagine how much we can accomplish when we all work together. Between the school districts, local organizations, not for profits, private businesses, government agencies and families, our children should have everything they need to succeed. 

We will play our part. Within the past 30 days we’ve distributed new books to all 1st grade students in Pekin public schools with plans to distribute more. We believe that reading plays an important role in success which is why we promote literacy. There are not many things you can do without reading. It plays a role in everything we do such as cooking, driving, gaming, texting, applying for jobs, following directions, purchasing goods and services, searching the internet, and even scrolling on social media. Even when listening to the radio, the person you’re listening to is probably reading from a script. So, our goal is to connect the importance of reading with the enjoyment of reading. Once we get kids to enjoy reading, their literacy skills will improve as they read more willingly. 

Research has shown that a child’s ability to read by third grade plays a role in predicting success. It is the age that a child transitions between learning to read and reading to learn. Individuals who are illiterate or have low literacy have a higher probability of struggling in life from behavior issues, dropping out of school, and difficulty finding employment. A few methods used to improve reading are rereading familiar texts, reading aloud to peers and parents, and getting immediate guidance or feedback from teachers. Studies have shown that kids who spend more time on screens have lower reading comprehension, according to www.readingranch.com. It may be a challenge, but turning the television off earlier than normal to read for 30 minutes before bedtime could help with improving literacy. 

Investing in reading will pay off. Some of the wealthiest people in the world tend to read more and enjoy reading including Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk to name a few. We can’t promise that you’ll become as rich as some fluent readers, but in the end, you can’t lose as reading plays such a huge role in our lives. 

To help fund Pekin Altrusa’s After School Reading and Tutoring Program, send checks to: 

Pekin Altrusa, PO Box 3, Pekin, IL 61554. 

You can also visit this link to donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=8EQLB8XYJ2AJ8&source=qr