Education Spotlight: Rappahannock United Way to Celebrate Read Across America in Local Preschool Classrooms
Volunteers are invited to sign-up to read aloud to students during the week of March 3-8.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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After a lengthy COVID-19-related hiatus, the Rappahannock United Way is once again partnering with local Head Start and Virginia Preschool Initiatives programs to celebrate Read Across America Week.
Between March 3 and March 7, RUW is seeking volunteers from the community to read to preschoolers in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and King George counties.
Read Across America is celebrated nationally during the first week in March. It was established by the National Education Association in 1998 to promote reading and literacy, especially by highlighting the act of reading aloud to young children.
The birthday of Theodore Seuss Geisel—otherwise known as “Dr. Seuss”—on March 2 is the cornerstone of Read Across America.
“We’re thrilled to strengthen our partnerships with local schools and bring the love of reading to early learners,” said Jessica Chavez, RUW’s Volunteer Coordinator, in a press release about the initiative. “This is the perfect opportunity for anyone who has been thinking about volunteering to connect with our cause. It’s a low-barrier way to make a difference and find inspiration through the magic of storytelling. It’s easy, fun, and incredibly rewarding!”
To hopefully spark a lifelong love of reading among the Fredericksburg-area’s preschool students, RUW will also be giving out free books—The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money and The Berenstain Bears’ Dollars and Sense—to all students and teachers during the Read Across America events.
Prospective volunteers can contact Chavez at jchavez@rapphannockunitedway.org or visit this link: https://www.givepulse.com/event/555346.
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