Caitlin Clark expands libraries for children.
The Caitlin Clark Foundation announced Wednesday, Jan. 22, that Scholastic has donated 22,000 new books to the WNBA star’s charitable foundation in partnership with Scholastic’s national literacy program, United States of Readers. The program, which launched in September 2021, is “dedicated to bridging the literacy gap and book disparity” for students in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade attending underserved schools across the country, according to Scholastic.
The new donation was made in an effort “to create awareness and measurable impact of early access to reading in under-resourced schools through United States of Readers and other programs,” the press release explained.
The 22,000 books are expected to cover a range of reading levels and school ages, including elementary and middle school. They will also be distributed to children’s hospitals and other nonprofit organizations, with a special focus on students in Clark’s home state of Iowa, USA Today reports.
Caitlin Clark on December 12, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts.
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“Reading and education have always been extremely important in my life. I remember picking out books from the Scholastic flyer and how it empowered me as a child and how motivated I was to read,” Clark, 23, said in the news release.
“I want to help children have the same experience, to develop their reading skills and open their imaginations to dream big,” she continued. “I am thrilled that my foundation will support reading as Literacy Champions by partnering with Scholastic and United States Readers.”
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Director of Impact at Scholastic Judy Newman also noted, “Caitlin is a proven role model, and we are thrilled to be working together with the Caitlin Clark Foundation to make reading more accessible to children everywhere.”
Reading and literacy are in decline due to increased screen time and the dependence of the COVID-19 pandemic on screens at school and at work. According to Scholastic’s 2022 Child and Family Reading Report, children ages six to 17 who read five to seven days a week decreased by 9%, from 37% in 2010 to 28% in 2022.
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In addition, the organization Reading is Fundamental reported in 2022 that 34% of children entering kindergarten “lack the basic language skills needed to learn to read” and 67% of fourth graders are reading at or below basic level.
The National Literacy Institute reported in the 2022-23 study. that 40% of American students cannot read at a basic level.
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Caitlin Clark on April 02, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.
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The United States of Readers program has seen increases in literacy, motivation and confidence among 65,000 students across the country, Newman reported.
The collaboration with Clark will create “champion-level advocacy and support” to help “make radical moves and inspire significant improvements to change the trajectory of America’s child literacy rates.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education