Gifts Of Literacy

GOL is a reading program for first graders in our community. Five Rotary clubs (Reedsport, CB/NB, Bandon, Coquille, MP) work together to provide this reading program to approximately 700 first graders. The budget is about $15,000. How it works. We choose 5 books for various levels of readers and give to the first-grade teachers about 35 classes. The teachers use the books in their curriculum from October – to March. Then the first-grader chooses their favorite book. In non-covid times, all 700 kids come to Southwestern Oregon Community College for a reading program that includes a skit about why reading is important. The event culminates with each kid getting a book bag that includes their favorite book. Watching 700 first graders open their books back is like watching kids open Christmas presents.