Youngstown schools, barbers stress the importance of reading

YOUNGSTOWN — Incoming Youngstown City School District CEO Justin Jennings will help kick off a summer literacy program at 11 a.m. Monday at Excalibur Barber inside the Southern Park Mall.

B.R.I.D.G.E. Barbers is a program that aims to encourage students to read more as a way to bridge the learning loss, often called the summer slide, some students suffer during the summer months. Students who attend the reading sessions may earn incentives.

“Reading is a fundamental part of education,” said Jennings, who was a struggling reader growing up. “If a child can’t read or can’t read at grade level, it’s hard for him or her to do well in any classes or subjects. It puts a child at a distinct disadvantage. Programs like B.R.I.D.G.E. Barbers help to address that. This program and the businesses, individuals and organizations that are a part of it are an asset to the community. I thank them and commend them for their efforts.”

B.R.I.D.G.E., or Barbershop Reading Initiative Developing Growth in Education, is in its third year in the Mahoning Valley and this year involves Excalibur, the Starting Line Up Barbershop at 47 Central Square in Youngstown and the Boys & Girls Club of Youngstown, 2105 Oak Hill Ave., Youngstown.

B.R.I.D.G.E. is a national initiative among urban barbers to help emphasize the importance of youth to reach and maintain their appropriate reading level by third grade.

To help with the program, the Youngstown City School District is sponsoring a Barbershop Book & Nook Drive. District representatives are collecting new and nearly new children’s books and E-readers with stories appropriate for readers in kindergarten through third grade. They may be dropped off at Excalibur Barber Grooming Salon inside the mall, the Starting Line Up or the Boys and Girls Club.

Books and gift cards from Amazon or Barnes & Noble for the program may be mailed to Kelan Bilal, Excalibur Barber, 7401 Market St., Room 133, Youngstown 44512.

Reading sessions start at 11 a.m. the second and fourth Monday of the month, rotating among the participating locations:

Monday, June 24, Excalibur

July 8, Boys & Girls Club

July 22, Starting Lineup

Aug. 5, Michael Kusalaba branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, 2815 Mahoning Ave.

Aug. 19, Boys & Girls Club.

A festival/celebration and ceremony will follow the final reading session Aug. 19 at the Boys & Girls Club.