Pediatricians are “prescribing” books to young children through the Reach Out and Read program.

Reach Out and Read is a program that prepares young children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to “prescribe” books and encourage families to read together. Building on the belief that parents are their children’s first and most important educators, Reach Out and Read provides families with the books and developmental information they need to prepare their young learners for lifelong social, emotional, and academic success. Given that 90% of a child’s brain development occurs before age 5, the program reaches children during this critical window of opportunity. Reach Out and Read is designed to prevent learning deficiencies before they occur, giving children the chance they deserve to reach their tremendous innate potential. Wilkes County has 5 pediatric offices that participate in the Reach Out and Read program serving over 3,000 children. The five pediatric offices that participate include:  Wilkes Pediatric Clinic, Wilkes County Health Department, Medical Associates of Wilkes, Special Care for Special Kids, and Wilkes Regional Family Medicine.

Wilkes Community Partnership for Children coordinates the Reach Out and Read program in Wilkes County. Wilkes Community Partnership for Children is a United Way partner agency

Picture: Wilkes Pediatric Clinic staff Kim Taylor (FNP), Jennifer Hartley (PA-C), Dr. Anand Raman, Dr. Timothy Vannoy, Dr. Julie Koch, and Dr. John Pontzer with Wilkes Pediatric Clinic are a part of the Reach Out and Read Program that prescribes “reading” to young children during well-check visits. 

Over 500 children are registered for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library!

On March 18th, Wilkes Community Partnership for Children reached its 500th registration for the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library!!! Little Kove Burcham stopped in with his parents, Holly and  Shane Burcham to pose for a picture to mark the special occasion.

The goal of the program is to help develop childhood literacy skills before a child ever sets foot in a classroom. Families of children ages birth to 4 ½ years of age can register for the program regardless of income level. Participating children will receive a book addressed to them each month by mail at no cost to the family. Dolly Parton, a country music star, started the program 17 years ago as a way to help Tennessee children in the impoverished Great Smoky Mountain region where she grew up. She wanted to foster a love of reading and get children excited about the books. The programs has spread across the country and Wilkes Community Partnership for Children is excited to bring the program for Wilkes County children.  Early childhood literacy is one of the single most important things for a child to have access to during the early years and help prepare for kindergarten. 

Registration forms are available online at wilkessmartstart.com or parents can call 838-0977 to have a registration form mailed to their home address.  Wilkes Community Partnership for Children is a United Way partner agency.

Little Kove Burcham is excited about being the 500^th child registered for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Kove will receive a developmentally age appropriate book in the mail until he is 5 years old. 

 

Heather Benfield is the new Provider Support Coordinator

Ms. Heather Benfield is the new Provider Support Coordinator for the Wilkes Community Partnership for Children. She will be responsible for the Partnership’s goal of increasing the quality of child care in Wilkes County.  She will serve as a Child Care Resource and Referral liaison with the child care community by providing technical assistance and consultation to current and potential child care providers on issues such as classroom management, environmental rating scales, and licensing. Susan Cogdill, Executive Director of Wilkes Community Partnership for Children, stated, “The Partnership for Children is pleased to have Heather join the early childhood team.  Heather’s excitement and enthusiasm will be an asset to the children and families of Wilkes County.  We look forward to Heather sharing her knowledge and commitment to young children with our child care providers.”
Ms. Benfield has a Bachelor of Science degree from ASU in Elementary Education and is completing her B-K add on from East Carolina University. Heather has experience working in licensed childcare programs and most recently worked at Wilkes Developmental Day as a lead PreK teacher. She lives is Wilkes County with her son Grant.

Wilkes Community Partnership for Children, a local Smart Start agency, is a United Way support agency.  

 

Volunteers Read Across America

Wilkes Community Partnership for Children sponsored a Read Across America event in Wilkes County The event is part of an ongoing effort by the National Education Association(NEA) to promote literacy and reading across all age groups. The reading event took place on March 3rd at 10 am in child care facilities and NCPrek classrooms in Wilkes County. Chris Shew, Wilkes County Sheriff, kicked off the event at 9:00 am at Wilkes Family Central with a reading of “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish” to the volunteer readers. Wilkes Community Partnership for Children, is thankful to the 26 volunteers, which included Amy Mathis, Gail Cecile, Betsy Welborn,  Crystal Call, Aletha Johnson, Amanda Perry, Chuck Forester, Tish King, Ruth Warden, Gretchen Barelski, Judy West , Debbie Gentry, Denise Klark, Tathel Miller, Ken Noland, Sheriff Chris Shew,  Wanda Hutchinson, Britt Billings, Flo Renaker, Ann Billings, Sara Caudill, JoAnn Caudill, Amy Cooper, Tad Craig, Goldie Curry, Heather Benfield who read to children across the county.   

NEA's Read Across America Day takes place each year on or near March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Wilkes Community Partnership for Children, Wilkes Literacy and the Wilkes Public Library partnered on March 1^st  to celebrate Dr. Seuss with a community reading and a celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday.  Wilkes Community Partnership for Children, a local Smart Start agency, is a United Way Partner agency. If you would like more information on future reading events or would like to volunteer contact the Wilkes Community Partnership for Children at 838-0977.