Cincinnati Children Need More Books of Their Own
For many children across Greater Cincinnati, the path to becoming a confident reader begins with something simple: access to books. Too many of our youngest readers are at risk of falling behind before they have had a fair chance to strengthen their reading skills.
With 71% of previously off-track K-3 students in Cincinnati Public Schools still struggling to meet grade-level reading benchmarks, local support is critical in helping children learn to read and succeed in the classroom.
One practical way Cincinnati can respond is by helping children build home libraries of their own. Since the Scripps Howard Fund launched “If You Give a Child a Book …” in Cincinnati in 2016, the literacy initiative has grown to support nine underserved schools across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky—and nearly 100 schools nationwide.
Book Access is an Urgent Literacy Issue
Over the past decade, generous donors across the Greater Cincinnati area have helped the “If You Give a Child a Book …” program distribute more than 178,000 books to local students. Each book offers more than a story. It gives a child another opportunity to practice reading outside the classroom, develop confidence and begin a lifelong relationship with learning.
Access matters, and so does choice. “If You Give a Child a Book …” invites students to choose books that reflect their interests and identities. When children see themselves in stories—or encounter new worlds that spark their curiosity—they are more likely to open those books, keep reading and discover joy in the experience rather than view it as simply another assignment.
“Cincinnati is our hometown, and seeing this program put books into the hands of local children year after year is especially meaningful,” said Meredith Delaney, Scripps Howard Fund President and CEO. “Access to books is access to opportunity. For some students, the books they choose through our program may be the only ones they own—making every book an urgent investment in their ability to read, learn and succeed.”
Investing in Our Young Readers
For 10 years, community support has helped the “If You Give a Child a Book …” initiative grow to serve nine Title I schools across the region: Bond Hill Academy, Glenn O. Swing Elementary, John G. Carlisle Elementary, John P. Parker Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Lincoln Heights Elementary, Oyler School, Rothenberg Preparatory Academy and Winton Hills Academy.
The goal of the program is to provide each student with 10 books per year, a metric backed by research to have a positive correlation to improved reading rates.
Continued giving can help the “If You Give a Child a Book …” program provide even more new books to the children who need them most.
Invest in the future of our local children and help them change their story for good.
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