First Library: Sparking Literacy for Safer Streets

0:00The latest headlines, weather, and stories right here on Birmingham News today. Birmingham City Counselor Clinton Woods is wrapping up his first library program to tackle violent crime from the ground up. He's delivering book bundles to every kindergartener at four local schools, Huffman Academy, Martha Gaskin's Elementary, Sun Valley Elementary, and W. J. Christian School. The idea is simple. A.D.A. is simple sparkle love of reading early to build safer streets down the line. Birmingham City Schools faced tough challenges, with just 37% of students proficient in English language arts. The district's overall academic score, sits at 46, and 85% of kids come from low-income homes. Graduation rates hover around 81%, and Alabama law requires holding back third graders who can't read at grade level. Woods calls that retention policy a major wake-up call, pushing leaders to start interventions in kindergarten. City show kids not reading well by third grade are far more likely to drop out of high school

1:01and in-depth incarcerated. Local literacy early literacy as key to breaking the school to prison pipeline. The program partners with the nonprofit I see me ink, led by educator Devon Frazier. Each shog gets a custom bundle of books aimed at boosting vocabulary, confidence, and home reading habits. Frazier stresses how literacy changes life pass for kids of color. Meanwhile, I see me as hosting its real-men read event this Thursday, where boys see male row models with books. Woods views these efforts as a big picture plan, exposing young minds to endless possibilities before trouble starts. D&N is brought to you by our sponsor link in the description. What is cooler than cool? A pillow that plays your sound. S-O-L-I-S-O-L-P-L-O dot com.