Joy of reading: Pass it around
Thelma Pryse gets a little help each week from the staff at Carrico/Fort Thomas Branch. In return, she joyfully volunteers to help young children who are learning to read. “It’s only a half hour a week, but you do see improvement,” said Ms. Pryse, 88, of Fort Thomas.
Thelma Pryse, 88, of Fort Thomas
With reading, every bit of help pays off. That’s also the idea behind the Early Childhood Literacy Fair, 10 am-12:30 pm on Saturday, May 21, at the Newport
Branch. Community partners will be on hand to answer questions and children can get free developmental and vision screenings.
In addition, preschoolers and young children can meet Elephant & Piggie, enjoy face painters and balloons and each child will get a free book while supplies last. In short, the Early Literacy Fair is a great place to make reading fun for your child.
Ms. Pryse knows about that. She has volunteered the past two years at Lincoln Elementary as a reading coach with One to One, a partnership of local schools and the Northern Kentucky Education Council. She worked with a first-grade girl last year and a different first-grade girl this year. She and her pupil read to each other, play sight word games and bond.
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In March, the first-grader so enjoyed a leprechaun book, she had Ms. Pryse read it twice. “Every time she sees me, I get a big hug,” Ms. Pryse said. “She’s very comfortable with me now.”
Ms. Pryse’s preparation as a coach starts at the Library. “The Fort Thomas Library has been wonderful in helping me select books and helping me with advice if I have a problem,” she said. Ms. Pryse began volunteering on the recommendation of her son-in-law, a retired teacher, and hasn’t looked back. “I love to do it,” she said. “I also give the ‘grandmother’ approach to a child. I remember my grandmother and she was very special.”
Ms. Pryse began volunteering on the recommendation of her son-in-law, a retired teacher, and hasn’t looked back. “I love to do it,” she said. “I also give the ‘grandmother’ approach to a child. I remember my grandmother and she was very special.”
One to One coaching for the school year ended in April, but Ms. Pryse is looking forward to next school year where another pupil will need a little encouragement and a lot of heart. “You know what? Not every child’s window will open at the same time,” Ms. Pryse said. “You never know. You just have to be ready to help.” There’s no need to register for the Early Childhood Literacy Fair. For more information, visit cc-pl.org. To volunteer to be a One to One reading coach, visit www.nkyec.org.
There’s no need to register for the Early Childhood Literacy Fair.
This article appeared in the May issue of our Connections newsletter.
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