Nevada RIF focuses on reading and literacy

Friday, January 27, 2006
Parents as Teachers coordinator Jenise Burch, Local RIF representatives Melissa Hoffman, Keri Hold and Fred Seewoester meet with the National program specialists Richard Easter and Kim Nakashima (center) to review RIF activities in the Nevada area. Front row: Burch, Hoffman, Nakashima and Keri Hold. Back row: Seewoester and Easter.

Special to the Daily Mail

Nevada Area Reading is Fundamental, with the help of more than 25 teachers and other volunteers, will conduct book parties three times this year at 15 sites including pre-schools, and public and private school classrooms. Almost 1,200 children, pre-school through second grade in Vernon County, will attend a RIF party at school and pick a free book for themselves to take home to read and share.

Nevada Area RIF is affiliated with Reading is Fundamental, Inc., the nation's leading nonprofit children's literacy organization. The mission is to motivate America's children to read often and well by involving them with reading as early in their lives as possible. RIF has been active in the Nevada area since 1987.

National coordinators and program specialists Richard Easter and Kim Nakashima were in Nevada this week to review upcoming activities for the Nevada area with local representatives Melissa Hoffman, Keri Hold, and Fred Seewoester and with Nevada R-5 Parents as First Teachers coordinator Jenise Burch.

RIF parties have three common themes: to provide books for children to explore choose, read, and treasure; to engage children in activities to capture their imagination, and to inspire them to read; and to involve volunteers, parents, teachers, and community leaders, to make a difference in children's literacy. Local and national funds are used to purchase books. Local funds are provided by a combination of donations and gifts from individuals, organizations and book fairs at Nevada's Bryan Elementary School. At the Bryan school book fairs, which are coordinated by Geneva Cummins, students and parents can purchase many of the same books distributed at the book parties.

Founded in 1966, RIF develops and delivers children's and family literacy programs that help prepare young children for reading and motivate school-age children to read regularly. Through a national network of more than 400,000 volunteers RIF programs provide new, free books and other essential literacy resources to nearly 5 million children.

Nationwide, a RIF program provides about 1.5 million books to children annually and has placed more than 200 million books in the hands and homes of American children. Support for Reading is Fundamental, Inc is provided by corporations, foundations, government, national service organizations, and individual contributions. Contributions are tax-deductible.

Local donations can be sent to: RIF c/o Melissa Hoffman 312 Bridge Lane, Nevada, MO 64472.

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