
Reading Rotary just completed its Rotary Readers Literacy Project. Rotary Readers is an annual literacy project where reading books and a backpack are given to kindergarten students. This year the Rotary Club brought the project to all kindergarten classes in Reading and North Reading. This year over 400 literacy bags and over 800 reading books were distributed to eight elementary schools in Reading and North Reading. In addition, Rotarians read to each Kindergarten class as part of Read Across America.
This literacy project has been adapted from Rotary’s previous dictionary and thesaurus giveaways. Teachers expressed their preference to have the younger students receive reading books. Basic Education and Literacy is one of Rotary International's Seven Areas of Focus.
Rotary would like to offer a special thank you to Liz Whitelam and Whitelam Books for supplying these books at a generous discount.
Austin Prep’s Interact Club (Rotary sponsored service club for high schoolers) was integral in helping with this project, including stuffing the backpacks and reading to many classrooms. Rotary sponsors Interact Clubs at Austin Prep, Reading High School and North Reading High School.