Give Back: Jumpstart and Read for the Record

By Amy Mikel in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 29, 2008 7:47PM

This Thursday, Harold Washington Library will participate in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, an event aiming to break a world record for the largest shared reading experience by encouraging children across the country to read the same book with an adult on the same day. The official campaign book is children’s classic Corduroy, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

The campaign centers on making early education a national priority; with a focus on literacy and language development in pre-school aged children. One way to contribute to this is by purchasing your own copy of Corduroy – with 100% of the profits going to Jumpstart’s literacy programs – or by donating the book to a child in a low-income community. According to Jumpstart: “The number of books in a home is the single strongest indicator of a child's future reading ability setting him or her on a track for success in school and in life.”

This particular campaign is only part of what the non-profit does; The Jumpstart Model works by pairing trained college students with pre-school children for the entire school year – focusing on building literacy, social and emotional readiness. Local programs currently exist at DePaul, North Park, and Roosevelt University.

Read for the Record, Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St., Thursday, October 2, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.