Press Release
Trident United Way’s 6th Annual Read Across America Day on March 2nd hosted 35 volunteers who read to 67 classrooms reaching over 1,200 Tri-County elementary school students in just one day.
Volunteers visited classrooms at eight local elementary schools to read books to students in Child Development to 3rd grade. Reading aloud to students can help them develop a love of reading and improve their literacy skills.
“I like books,” a first-grade student at Hunley Park Elementary School told his classroom volunteer, Devon Andrews. “When we listen to you read it will help us become better readers!”
Education is one of three focus areas at Trident United Way. Data shows that early learning is vital to overall childhood education.
- From birth to age five, 90% of a child's brain development occurs.
- More than half of Tri-County third graders test below standards in reading (approximately 64% in Berkeley County, 59% in Charleston County and 59% in Dorchester County)
- Children who are read to at least three times a week by an adult are almost twice as likely to score in the top 25% in reading compared to children who are read to less than 3 times a week.
