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Read to a Child® announces new Remote Read Aloud Program video series with Support from the Guru Krupa Foundation
Wellesley, MA, July 26, 2021 – National literacy and mentoring non-profit Read to a Child® today announced a new summer series of videos in its Remote Read Aloud Program, beginning with children’s author and former New England Patriot Malcolm Mitchell reading ‘My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World’ and answering questions from a classroom of second grade students at the Maurice J. Tobin School in Boston. Thanks to permission from publisher Scholastic Inc., the entire 30 minute video is available on YouTube here or at https://tinyurl.com/MalcolmMitchellRemoteReadAloud.
Supported by a $12,000 grant from the Guru Krupa Foundation, Read to a Child is, once again, bringing the magic of the read aloud experience to students’ screens with visually interactive and educational videos that center on important themes of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. The entire new series of Remote Read Aloud Program videos, which will be available on Read to a Child’s YouTube channel, will also include personal information from each author as well as lively Q&A sessions with the children on the call.
Read to a Child is creating the new summer series of videos based upon the overwhelming need for literacy support and read aloud content for children during the summer months to combat both ‘Summer Slide’ – a loss of academic gains achieved during the previous school year due to lack of daily practice when school is not in session – and learning loss from the effects of COVID school closures and attempts at remote learning.
In the first video in the new Remote Read Aloud series, Malcolm Mitchell joined Tobin school 2nd grade students for an inspirational, virtual “story hour.” In his new book ‘My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World,’ which is illustrated by Michael Robinson, Malcolm pulls from his own challenges and triumphs with literacy to deliver an empowering message that every story has the potential to become a favorite. After listening to the story, students ask Malcolm questions about his literacy journey that inspired the tale and his writing process.
“As one my foundation’s premiere partners, I am grateful that Read to a Child has provided me with numerous opportunities to read to children over the years,” said Malcolm Mitchell, founder of Share the Magic Foundation. “I consider these opportunities my ‘big game’ moments and I was thrilled to be able to read aloud my new book to children in the Remote Read Aloud Program.”
“We thank Malcolm and Share the Magic Foundation for their wonderful partnership in kicking off our new summer series and the Guru Krupa Foundation for its generous grant to fund our Remote Read Aloud Program as we find ways to reach more students with powerful read aloud experiences,” said Paul Lamoureux, CEO of Read to a Child. “This program, as well as our aligned missions in improving children’s literacy, continues to bring us closer to our vision that every child has the resources to develop a love of reading and has an equal opportunity to thrive in school and beyond.”
“We welcome this opportunity to partner with Read to a Child in improving the lives of children in under resourced communities,” said Mukund Padmanabhan, President of the Guru Krupa Foundation. “The Remote Read Aloud Program is a wonderful way to bring the library to a child’s home, help develop their love of reading and enable children to thrive.”
About Malcolm Mitchell:
Among Malcolm’s numerous awards and accomplishments both on and off the field, he considers discovering a love of reading his greatest achievement. Initially, reading was a challenge; however, through perseverance, books became an avenue for expanding his curiosity, creativity and learning. Through literacy Malcolm has authored and published children’s books, created a youth literacy initiative called Read with Malcolm, and established Share the Magic Foundation to transform lives through literacy.
About Remote Read Aloud Program:
Read to a Child initially launched its Remote Read Aloud Program and a series of 6 read aloud videos in the summer of 2020 as an initiative to provide supplemental read aloud content to students learning from home during the COVID-19 pandemic and to inspire students and their families to establish daily read aloud practices. Read to a Child’s summer 2021 series is based upon the overwhelming need for literacy support for children during the summer months to combat both ‘Summer Slide’ – a loss of academic gains achieved during the previous school year due to lack of daily practice when school is not in session – and learning loss from the effects of COVID school closures and attempts at remote learning.
About Read to a Child:
Read to a Child (readtoachild.org) is a national literacy and mentoring non-profit that fosters a love of reading, improves literacy skills and develops confidence in children at under-resourced schools through enriching read aloud experiences with caring adults. Research shows that reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for eventual success in reading, a key factor for success in school, work, and life. Read to a Child’s Read Aloud Mentoring Program deploys thousands of volunteer reading mentors who read regularly to elementary students at under-resourced schools in the greater metro areas of Boston, Detroit, Hartford, Los Angeles, and Miami. Read to a Child also reaches and inspires thousands more children across the country in its Remote Read Aloud Program and Celebrity Reading Program where notable authors, celebrities, athletes and politicians read aloud to groups of children either online or in-person.
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Media contact:
Natalie Ellis
Development and Communications Manager
Read to a Child
natalie.ellis@readtoachild.org
(910) 585-0367