Read to Soar workshop at Early Childhood Development Center

Avoyelles Parish – The Early Childhood Development Center will be hosting the Rapides Foundation and their Read to Soar workshop on Mondays, 22, 29, November 5, 12, 26 and December 3 from 5:40-7:40 p.m. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information and to register, call or text Terrie Taylor at (318) 206-8918 or email readtosoar4@theorchardfoundation.org.

The Read to Soar early literacy program, recently developed under The Rapides Foundation’s Education Initiative is preparing young children for school success by cultivating a love for reading long before they set foot in a classroom.

Read to Soar is a FREE, eight-session reading workshop for children ages birth to 5 and their parents or caregivers. The workshops help develop and strengthen a culture of reading at home by educating parents, building a child's home library and increasing awareness about community resources to help ensure the child has the tools for school success. By the end of the program, children get a certificate of participation and 40 new books to adorn their home library while parents come away with tips and resources that help them teach their young ones.

Each workshop focuses on a different topic area and is designed to be fun, giving parents and caregivers a chance to bond with their kids in a learning environment. Workshops include music, dancing, crafts and refreshments.

Read to Soar is a concerted effort to reach out to children before they enter kindergarten to ensure success throughout their entire school careers, and it complements School Readiness work funded by The Rapides Foundation currently being done in pre-K, head-start centers and child-care centers.

The eight Read to Soar sessions follow early childhood education best practices and are specifically tailored for Central Louisiana. To reach more Central Louisiana parishes, The Orchard Foundation contracted with four early literacy specialists to teach Read to Soar throughout Cenla.