BATON ROUGE READS

Reading skills are essential in today's fast-paced world. Unfortunately, in Louisiana more than 40 percent of public school children are illiterate , and half of those students will drop out of school before graduation.

At CAWSC we realize not all children learn to read at the same pace--some need extra attention while others are quick learners.

Baton Rouge Reads reinforces reading skills in non-traditional class form: business professionals, parents and community leaders volunteering pair with individual students to read one-on-one.

A private reading room is more comfortable for self-conscious readers. In it, CAWSC provides a library catering to all reading levels. A volunteer reads to a student and then encourages the student as he or she reads the story aloud.

Lessons and themes from books help students bulid character, which is a goal of the CAWSC program. Valerie Jackson Jones, Executive Director of CAWSC, says seeing people other than teachers reinforces the importance of reading as a long-term skill used to function in daily activities and to keep up with current events.

Children also gain confidence to interact with different groups of people from all parts of the community.

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering for Baton Rouge Reads in 2006, visit the CAWSC main office at 440 North Foster Drive, or call 924-7506 for more information.