Last Thursday, the Club welcomed KATE JAWORSKI, Co-founder of the Norristown Page Turners, who told us of her organization's mission of increasing kids literacy in the Norristown area. Kate pointed out that Norristown is a "Book Desert" in that there are fewer books per household than are recommended for creating a nurturing environment for kids to learn to read. The literacy rate in Norristown is low with only 35% of 4th graders reading at a proficient level. The Page Turners attack this problem area with a variety of programs, the biggest of which is their After School Book Clubs. Targeted at each of the middle schools, these book clubs strive to create a space where students can discover the joys of reading books, while being introduced to social developmental programs aimed at fostering an interest in the wide variety of literature that is available. They bring books to the kids which help them understand their cultural identity, and help develop perspectives in inclusivity and equity. They donate books free of charge.
Their current aim is toward K-4 students, but they are planning to expand up to the high school grades in the near future.
You can find more information at: https://www.norristownpageturners.org/our-programs.html
Thank you Kate for bringing us this message.