July 12, 2016
Jilly Gokalgandhi, Community School Coordinator at Bradley Tech
Students enrolled at Bradley Tech summer school listened intently as Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Regional Superintendent Dr. Orlando Ramos shared a great piece of advice he had once heard as a child. “When I was young I was always told to read. Read whatever you can get your hands on. The benefits of reading are timeless.”
Great advice considering that studies have shown children, especially those from low-income families, can lose as many as three months of reading skills by the time classes resume in fall. A way to combat this “summer slide” is by encouraging students to not only continue to read over summer but also provide these kids with access to books.
That’s why United Way has teamed up with MPS and other partners to give more than 20,000 free books to students in addition to the 500 being handed out this summer to students at Bradley Tech summer school. Each week, students get the opportunity to select one book to take home. They can choose from a variety of genres and titles like The Rose That Grew from Concrete, Esperanza Rising, or The Westing Game. Summer school staff are also able to use these new books as an added resource in their classroom.
Know a child who would benefit from new books? View a list of distribution sites here.
Want to help make a difference in our community and ensure books get to those children who need them most, consider donating to reduce Summer Slide here.