Gabriela “Gabby” Gutierrez reads “The Adventures of Kids United: The Glass Bridge” to second graders at Jefferson Elementary School in Davenport on Tuesday, March 4. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Gabriela “Gabby” Gutierrez knows what it’s like to struggle with reading. She wants young students to know that even though it can be hard, reading books is worth the journey. “I come from an immigrant family. English was my second language and I struggled with it. … But today was great,” said Ms. Gutierrez, a […]
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Gabriela “Gabby” Gutierrez knows what it’s like to struggle with reading. She wants young students to know that even though it can be hard, reading books is worth the journey.“I come from an immigrant family. English was my second language and I struggled with it. … But today was great,” said Ms. Gutierrez, a member service representative with Gas & Electric Credit Union in Rock Island, after she read a book to a class filled with second-grade students.The area woman was one of about 150 volunteers who read to almost 1,400 students in 70 elementary school classrooms across Scott and Rock Island counties as part of the United Way Quad Cities’ Reading Day on Tuesday, March 4.
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Children from Jefferson Elementary School in Davenport dress up in masks and caps and pretend to be super heroes after a volunteer read them the book "The Adventures of Kids United: The Glass Bridge” during Reading Day at the school. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Children from Jefferson Elementary School in Davenport dress up in masks and caps and pretend to be super heroes after a volunteer read them the book "The Adventures of Kids United: The Glass Bridge” during Reading Day at the school. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Children from Jefferson Elementary School listen as a book is being read during Reading Day at the school. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Gabriela “Gabby” Gutierrez reads “The Adventures of Kids United: The Glass Bridge” to second graders at Jefferson Elementary School in Davenport on Tuesday, March 4. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Children from Jefferson Elementary School listen as a book is being read during Reading Day at the school. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Children from Jefferson Elementary School listen as a book is being read during Reading Day at the school. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
“Instilling a love of reading at a young age is crucial because when children develop a genuine passion for reading, they’re more likely to make it a lifelong habit,” said Sharon Smith, Reading Day honorary chair and CEO of Quad City Area REALTORS.Ms. Smith, a children’s author, understands the importance of early literacy. “A love of reading provides children with the tools to explore their interests, succeed academically, and grow intellectually, making it one of the most powerful gifts we can give them,” she added.United Way’s annual Reading Day celebration isn’t just about encouraging children to love reading. It also supports early literacy by showing kids that books are fun, accessible and engaging. When children develop strong reading skills, they’re better equipped to succeed in school, which in turn supports college and career readiness, career achievement and even overall health, according to information from the United Way.
Business lead way
United Way’s Reading Day was presented by Quad City Area REALTORS and supported by Isle Casino + Hotel Bettendorf, Amazon, Eye Surgeons Associates, John Deere, TBK Bank, Elliott Aviation, MindFire Communications, Pepsi, Whitey’s Ice Cream, BlueLinx, Gas & Electric Credit Union, IBEW Local 145, Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors and United Rentals.Tuesday’s Reading Day also featured business and community leaders reading books and handing out gifts to children across the region. For instance, Ms. Gutierrez read a book written by Rene Gellerman, president and CEO of United Way Quad Cities, to second grade children being taught by Allison Harkey in Room 14 at Jefferson Elementary School, Davenport.That book, entitled "The Adventures of Kids United: The Glass Bridge,” takes place in the Quad Cities. In the book, five special friends discover a mysterious bridge to nowhere, leading them on a journey. “With teamwork, kindness and a sprinkle of magic, they join forces with space travelers … to fix a broken spaceship and embark upon an unforgettable voyage across the universe,” according to the book.“It’s good for the students to hear from other people in the community. It’s good to hear other people read to them,” Ms. Harkey said.Ms. Gutierrez went to the front of the room and read the short story to a class of about 16 students. The room was filled with encouraging messages and signs. One of them read “The future of the world is in this classroom.” Another part of the classroom featured photos of all the students next to the phrase: “You’re Amazing Just the Way You Are.”
Reading swag bags
After reading the book that featured students with super hero powers, Ms. Gutierrez and other volunteers handed out gift bags to students. Each bag held a copy of "The Adventures of Kids” book, sunglasses, stickers, a book mark, and a cap-and-mask kit that most of the students quickly put on to play their super heroes role.After reading the book, Ms. Gutierrez asked the students several questions, including: “What are some of your super powers?” One student answered: “Listening to my teacher.”Ms. Gutierrez quickly responded: “That’s a great answer.”In addition to having fun with a story about kids and super heroes, Reading Day had a serious theme – supporting early literacy.When children develop strong reading skills, they’re better equipped to succeed in school. When the reverse happens, children miss out on the opportunity to develop their full potential in life. To put it in perspective, United Way said, there are 3,462 third graders in the Quad Cities — 1,414 of them struggle to read. That means 44% of Quad Cities third graders are not reading on grade level.“Reading proficiency is one of the greatest predictors of a child’s success in school and life,” Ms. Gellerman said. “Third grade is when children shift from learning to read to reading to learn. From this point on, reading becomes foundational for all other learning, including science, math and history.”“Research shows that 74% of struggling readers will never catch up. That’s why ensuring early literacy opportunities is essential to setting children on a path toward success,” according to the United Way.
Help support literacy
United way leaders said here are three ways to support early literacy:
Volunteer: Become a reading buddy and spend just 30 minutes a week helping a child build confidence and improve their reading skills.
Donate books: Give a book from the United Way’s Book Wish List, and the organization will distribute them to local students to inspire early reading.
Invest in literacy: Support early reading programs to ensure children are reading at grade level and set up for lifelong success.
