RISE+(Reading+Is+So+Exciting)+HomeLINKS+Kits+to+Encourage+Family+Literacy

Website: [|http://www.ssdcs.org] Contact: Gwen Tarbox Email: gtarbox@southshorestars.org Phone: 781-331-8505

Since 1970 Stars has provided the highest quality early education and youth development programs for the communities south of Boston. Throughout the year over 1,200 children, ages two months to sixteen years, attend our family child care system, three preschool centers, eight school age centers, middle school program, high school program and summer camp. By investing in school readiness and academic achievement, promoting healthy development and choices, and strengthening families, Stars gives children the opportunity to reach their full potential.


 * Service Opportunity:** Over 85% of Stars' 300 preschool children have low-income parents/caregivers. Providing significant support and education to parents is one of the ways we insure that our children meet their full developmental potential. Parent engagement in our programs is critical to achieving our goal of every Stars preschool child starting school ready to succeed. In 2003, with support from the J. Jill Compassion Fund, we developed and initiated RISE (Reading Is So Exciting). RISE is based on three decades of research that concludes that regularly being read to by their parents is a vital factor contributing to children's future school success. Numerous studies find that children's ability to learn to read is highly correlated to the amount of time that their parents read out loud to them. Parents strongly influence their children's motivation to acquire, develop, and use literacy skills.One of the components of the RISE program is the HomeLINKS tool - a homework kit with the goal of further strengthening the link between our classroom curriculum and home with parent supervised at-home activities. HomeLINKS homework kits feature a developmentally appropriate book that supports the concept. Currently we are looking for a student or student team to assemble this year's HomeLINKS kits and replenish last year's kits for distribution to our three preschool centers. Students would receive support in organizing a fundraising effort to purchase books needed to replenish the kits (need to purchase hard cover books at an estimated cost of $800), and organizing volunteers to assemble the kits. Supervision of the project would be provided by Stars' Volunteer Coordinator and Early Childhood Education Coordinator. The goal is to complete the project by December 1.

Special Considerations: None