Celebrating Early Literacy: CPDC at The W joins nationwide ‘Read for the Record
Students at the Child & Parent Development Center at Mississippi University for Women joined the nation Thursday, Oct. 24 for the 19th annual Read for the Record, the world’s largest shared reading experience, to increase awareness of early literacy.
“I love how Jumpstart Read for the Record helps increase access to books for children. All of our CPDC students will be receiving a copy of ‘Piper Chen Sings.’ Read for the record also gives CPDC students the opportunity to meet the Jumpstart Corp Members that will be working with them all year,” said Emily Ford, instructor and Jumpstart program site manager at The W’s School of Education.
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is the world’s largest shared reading experience, celebrating early literacy and supporting children’s early language and social-emotional development. The annual initiative raises awareness of the critical importance of early literacy and access to inclusive, high-quality books through shared reading.
Guest reader Melissa Reeves, instructor of music education, read “Piper Chen Sings” by Grammy winner and Tony-nominated actress Phillipa Soo, Maris Pasquale Doran and illustrated by Qin Leng. The story is about a young girl who loves to express herself through singing but is struck with self-doubt and nervousness when asked to perform a solo in front of an audience.
Ford said, “Early literacy is crucial in Mississippi because it sets the foundation for lifelong learning and significantly impacts a child’s academic and life outcomes. Early literacy helps bridge achievement gaps by providing children with the skills they need to succeed from the start, ensuring they are prepared for kindergarten and beyond.”
Jumpstart is a national early education organization working toward the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed.
Since 1993, Jumpstart has trained more than 58,000 college students and community volunteers to transform the lives of over 133,000 preschool children nationwide.
For more information about Read for the Record, please visit readfortherecord.org.