AFTER SCHOOL READS

After School Reads continues to evolve and develop new ways to meet the diverse needs of after school staff throughout Palm Beach County. Support is now being provided to staff members at 14 sites.

After School Reads training consists of strategies that will infuse reading and writing activities into after school programs. Observations done by After School Reads provide specific ideas and suggestions to individual staff members. After School Reads has the potential of reaching more than 2,000 children each year. The After School KidzLit program produced by the Developmental Studies Center is used to provide easy to understand strategies to help counselors make reading an enjoyable experience. KidzLit is a comprehensive plan to actively involve the children in fun, hands-on activities while reading quality literature that relates to their everyday lives.

The After School Reads staff development trainings offer ideas, contests and activities for each site to enhance their literacy focus. Site libraries are provided with books for grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Students share their creativity through readers' theater plays and creative writing projects.

A number of sites also participate in the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) National Book program. All children at these sites have the opportunity to select a book to keep three times over the course of the year. Over 3,000 books were distributed to children at 15 after school programs. A special activity celebrating reading precedes each book distribution.