Group seeks volunteers to help with program to promote reading

Children from across Mahoning County have been invited to the free program.

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR EDUCATON WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Student Education Association is looking for some volunteers and local celebrities to help with its Read Across America program March 1.

Some 200 children in kindergarten through fourth grade are expected to attend the noon-to-4 p.m. event in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center on the Youngstown State University campus.

The effort will require the services of at least 100 volunteers, said Jenna Nameth, a senior early childhood education major at YSU and vice president of the YSEA.

The project is part of the National Education Association’s 11th annual “Read Across America!” program and this is the second year that YSU will participate, Nameth said.

It also marks the 104th birthday of Dr. Seuss and the 51st birthday of his Cat in the Hat literary character.

The Ohio Student Education Association is assisting with the local effort.

Only children from the Youngstown city schools were invited last year and about 100 showed up. This year, the invitation went out to about three dozen Mahoning County schools and 200 children and their parents or guardians are expected to attend, Nameth said.

A number of local celebrities, including some city council members, have signed up to read to the children and Nameth said her group is also looking to enlist the help of some football players and others whom children might naturally look up to and who have an ability to impress the importance of literacy.

The children will also take part in playing games, making bookmarks, coloring and more, and pictures will be taken with Pete the Penguin (the YSU mascot) and the character of Dr. Seuss. Snacks will be provided.

Adults will get a chance to ask educators questions about reading to their children.

The program is free, and invitations, along with parental consent forms, were sent to schools across the county. Parents need to send those forms in by Feb. 18 to register their child.

Volunteers, who will be doing everything from registering children to directing crafts and games, are required to fill out a volunteer application that is to be returned by Feb. 8.

Applications are available in Room 2101 at the Beeghly College of Education on the YSU campus from 8 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. They may also be secured by contacting Crystal Hawthorne, YSEA adviser, at (330) 941-3270.

gwin@vindy.com