Details
Springfield's Gift of Literacy was inspired by a desire to promote a love of reading among young children. Research has shown that reading interventions at an early age are directly related to inspiring students to be lifelong learners. To support and celebrate this idea, this project provides all first-grade students in Springfield with their choice of a hardbound book, selected from a collection of nine books they had been reading throughout the year. The presentation includes small-group reading by guest readers to emphasize the importance of reading in our lives.

“The Gift of Literacy is an annual partnership with numerous community groups that see literacy as an important part of a healthy community. Each year, the program is made possible thanks to the generous contributions from the Springfield community. In 2007, nearly 125 volunteers and more than $35,000 in donations made the second-annual Gift of Literacy a success.

The Gift of Literacy is pleased to provide the students of Springfield with new books each year. The Gift of Literacy is a unique opportunity to reach our youngest readers through the best representation of literacy, a brand new book.”

Research
The need to increase the level and rate of literacy is the top priority identified by the Springfield Quality Education Model (S-QEM) a plan developed as a result of meetings involving over 1,000 community members and civic organizations. These community members emphasized a strong need for high levels of literacy in our community.

Research clearly indicates that literacy must begin, be encouraged, and be reinforced in many ways and by many people at an early age. Reading interventions early in the life of a child are directly related to instilling positive values in children and encouraging them to be life-long learners.