Read Ready announced Covington the city winner of its inaugural Mayors’ Fall Into Reading Challenge, an October effort that brought all six Northern Kentucky River Cities together to help families build early literacy habits.
Covington’s Sixth District Elementary School was the top-performing school, Newport led participation in the Little Learners track for children from birth through age 3.
The challenge drew 109 new student sign-ups across Bellevue, Covington, Dayton, Ludlow, Newport and Southgate. In Covington, 544 individual students logged in to Footsteps2Brilliance from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31.
“The secret sauce was having all six River Cities share the same message about early literacy,” said Marshelle Watkins-Blackwell, Read Ready director. “When families hear that message from their mayors, their schools and their neighbors, it becomes something the whole community can get behind. We’re grateful to the mayors and to everyone who took part.”
In the Little Learners track, families used The Basics to build early learning into their routines through activities such as talking, singing and reading together. The Growing Readers track used Footsteps2Brilliance to give children from age 4 through third grade practice with reading and literacy games.
“We’re seeing young children come to school needing more opportunities to build their vocabulary, practice talking about what they see and hear, and learn about the world around them,” said Jenny Watson, vice president of early learning and family power at EducateNKY. “Reading together, singing songs and talking about what you see on a walk are simple ways to build that knowledge and help children put their ideas into words before kindergarten.”
Read Ready encourages families to keep reading together every day and to make time for songs and conversation. Families, child care centers and schools interested in joining the next challenge can visit readreadyky.org or contact Marshelle Watkins-Blackwell at marshelle@readready.org.
Read Ready