The Mission of the Mayors' Book Club
In July 2008, the City of Hampton unveiled the Mayor’s Book Club, which addresses early literacy and focuses on the idea that reading is a core value. The Mayor’s Book Club engages families with young children in an exciting adventure of reading together. Supported through public and private partnerships, the program reinforces the goal of helping all of our children have a healthy start in life and enter school ready to learn and ready to succeed. Activities promote early literacy, improve the social and emotional development of young children, and increase the likelihood that children grow up in an environment where books are available and literacy is valued. Our children will be “Ready Readers and Ready Learners” when entering kindergarten.
Each month, between September and May, the Mayor and community volunteers read the selected book-of-the-month to nearly 4,000 children in over 200 preschool, kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Each child enrolled in the preschool classes receives a copy of the selected book. Kindergarten and First grade classrooms receive 2 copies to add to their classroom and school libraries. Parents of all 4,000 children receive a monthly newsletter with tips on how to “bring that month’s story to life”.
The Mayor’s Book Club promotes early literacy and strives to increase the likelihood that children grow up in an environment where books are available and literacy is valued. Community support around literacy is vital for student success and economic prosperity. Literacy can unite a community and transform the culture as a whole. By providing reading materials and inspiring young children to read we increase the chances that the will be reading on grade level. When we increase the number of children reading on grade level by the third grade we increase the chance that they will score well on their SATs, will be career and/or college ready and be a productive citizen of our community.
Each month, between September and May, the Mayor and community volunteers read the selected book-of-the-month to nearly 4,000 children in over 200 preschool, kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Each child enrolled in the preschool classes receives a copy of the selected book. Kindergarten and First grade classrooms receive 2 copies to add to their classroom and school libraries. Parents of all 4,000 children receive a monthly newsletter with tips on how to “bring that month’s story to life”.
The Mayor’s Book Club promotes early literacy and strives to increase the likelihood that children grow up in an environment where books are available and literacy is valued. Community support around literacy is vital for student success and economic prosperity. Literacy can unite a community and transform the culture as a whole. By providing reading materials and inspiring young children to read we increase the chances that the will be reading on grade level. When we increase the number of children reading on grade level by the third grade we increase the chance that they will score well on their SATs, will be career and/or college ready and be a productive citizen of our community.
Do you have photos of readers participating in the Mayors' Book Club that you can share? Photos may be emailed to Sandra.Chong@hampton.gov.
Mayor's Book Club - 100 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton, Virginia 23669 - 757-727-2710