PBS stations, city schools partner to give books to preschoolers

By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Put a child in front of the television and the result could be a smarter, more competent kid with better communication skills, not a pint-size couch potato.
"TV can be a wonderful learning tool. It can serve as a springboard to hands-on projects and books," said Bree Silski, Ready to Learn coordinator for Public Broadcasting Service Channels 45 and 49.
The stations have joined forces with Youngstown Reads Early, a program of Youngstown City Schools Family Readiness Center, to provide books to more than 300 children at eight area preschools 12 times a year.
Watching award-winning, nonviolent, commercial-free television programs such as "Sesame Street," "Arthur," "Dragon Tales," "Barney & amp; Friends," "Reading Rainbow," "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" and "Clifford the Big Red Dog," help preschoolers and young school-age children develop thinking and language skills, Silski said.
Linking these educational programs to books with similar themes helps to build a child's desire to read and a love of books.
The Ready to Learn program helps prepare preschoolers to succeed in school by providing this educational programming interspersed with messages that encourage children to be creative, curious and responsible. It also helps parents and teachers to use television more effectively.
City program: Youngstown Reads Early, funded by a grant from the Governor's Community Service Council, places AmeriCorps volunteers at each of the eight preschool sites it serves to implement early literacy activities.
Because Youngstown Reads Early has volunteers in place to implement literacy activities, Silski said, "it is the perfect vehicle to distribute the books."
For many of the children, these are their first books, Silski said. Most of the children come from disadvantaged families who can't afford to buy children's books. Others come from homes where encouraging children to read is not a top priority, she said.
"A lot of the parents we deal with are not comfortable reading," she added.
Volunteer's experience: Ethel McCrary, an AmeriCorps volunteer at Central Daycare and Preschool, 3000 Market St., said the children she works with are excited to receive the books.
McCrary helps them write their names in the books as soon as they get them. Then, she reads the story as the children follow along. Ordinarily, the 3- to 5-year-olds bubble over with energy, but during story time the classroom is unusually quiet as the children sit patiently, almost motionless, on a rug at McCrary's feet.
Afterward, each child is encouraged to sit next to McCrary and retell the story using the pictures as a guide. Almost all of them are eager to take their turn as the storyteller.
Their enthusiasm doesn't stop after school.
"I read my book to my baby brother," said 4-year-old Caliya Crues. She said she reads to her 6-year-old brother and grandma, too.
AmeriCorps volunteers also work with each child one-on-one, helping the preschoolers to follow the words with their fingers and getting them accustomed to reading from left to right.
All books are selected by teachers at each site to complement their lesson plans. Children at different sites or in different age groups may receive different books. Some of the children are too young for paperback books, so they receive board books, Silski added.
Distribution: The book distribution program, estimated to cost $9,510, is funded by Mahoning Valley Sports Charities Inc. and PBS 45 and 49's Ready to Learn Service. The eight sites Youngstown Reads Early serves are ABC Corral on North Avenue, Central Daycare & amp; Preschool, Discovery Place at the YWCA on Rayen Avenue, Easter Seal Society on Edwards Street, Ohio Early Start at Rayen High School, Potential Development Center on Woodland Avenue, Paul C. Bunn Elementary School at Sequoia Drive and East Preschool on East High Avenue.
PBS 45 and 49's Ready to Learn programs serve 1,153 children at 30 sites throughout the stations' viewing areas.
kubik@vindy.com