BILLINGS - A child unable to read at grade level by third grade is four times less likely to graduate high school.
It's a sobering fact that shows just how important is it to get books into children's hands at a young age - an initiative we here at Q-2 are trying to tackle.
Q2 teamed up with Lockwood Intermediate, to raise money to give books to each child in grades 3-5.
The collaboration is part of the focus on literacy in schools through the "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.
The impact of introducing books to children at a young age has been proven to help with problem solving and critical thinking.
"Our kids love books. We push Reading for enjoyment and reading as a lifelong learner," Lockwood Superintendent Tobin Novasio said.
"They're going to need to know how to learn. They're going to need to know how to find answers and seek information. And I feel l outside of the classroom we're not communicating to them that 'this is your homework just get it done', because we don't want kids years from now that are in a different seasons of work and family life and be like, 'I've just got to get through this'. We want them to get creative and inspired and we want to present them with things in our classroom where we're actually fostering creativity, we're fostering more than just a task in front of them," online reading teacher Jaclyn Tobin said.
As many as 365 students will receive three new books each.
The book distribution will take place January 21st at Lockwood school.
Superintendent Novasio mentioned that in this particularly tough economic year, it's important for students to have something to look forward to.
