At 10 years old, Chrystal dreams of becoming a teacher and writing books. But it wasn’t always this way, John.
Before fourth grade, Chrystal dreaded going to school in rural West Virginia. She’d missed a lot of school days in previous years due to family medical emergencies and other challenges — and she was falling behind.
That’s when she started participating in a Save the Children literacy program dedicated to helping students reach grade-level proficiency in reading.
At the start of the last school year, Chrystal was reading below a first-grade reading level. Today, she’s reading at a third-grade level and can’t wait to open her next book!
Chrystal worked hard in this program to catch up to her peers. Participating in small group classes and independent reading time after school gave her the support she needed, helped her build her reading and writing skills and boosted her confidence in the classroom.
Today, on World Literacy Day, we’re recognizing the power of books, John.
With access to books and the right support, children like Chrystal can learn to love reading. That’s why it's critical that Save the Children works in rural America, where there are fewer educational resources for children.
Our learning programs and initiatives — like Make Summer Fair — help kids build their math and reading skills throughout the summer and year-round.
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