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Encouraging Heroes. You can be one too.

Kumon, the after-school math and reading program, is supporting RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) in March. Kumon has pledged to give at least $50,000. Isn’t that great? Additionally, for every new student who enrolls with Kumon, 4 books will be donated to RIF (approximately a $10 value). It’s possible to raise that figure to $75,000.

According to the RIF website, “Nearly two-thirds of low-income families in the U.S. own no books.” With little or no access to reading materials outside the classroom, children have difficulty developing reading skills at an appropriate pace. Once students are behind in reading skills, keeping up in other subjects becomes increasingly difficult, and children stop enjoying school and the process of learning.

Furthermore, RIF states that low-income Hispanic and African-American students are at a greater risk of falling behind in reading than their white peers, being an average of three years behind by fourth grade. The most effective way to prevent achievement gaps is to educate early. Parents are a child’s greatest resource, but when a parent or guardian is unavailable or unable to read aloud to a child as he or she grows, programs such as those developed by RIF help out. When children develop a love of reading, they often perform better in other subjects such as math and science. The benefit couldn’t be clearer: Literacy is a fundamental right of life.

As a Kumon Student, your child would have access to resources that will provide a strong foundation for success. Your participation could truly change a child’s life. Bring friends and family to a center near you to enroll and start making a difference.

To find a Kumon Center near you, visit: http://www.kumon.com/GetStarted/FindACenter.aspx.

Earnest Parenting: help for parents who value books.

Image courtesy of timandkris via Creative Commons license, some rights reserved.