Literacy Initiative to include Digital Reading Experiences, Goal to Inspire Students to Read While at Home to Reach 1.75 Million Minutes Read
By: Angela Redding
Los Angeles, CA, (The Hollywood Times) 4/15/2020–“Finding time to read as a family remains an important priority during these challenging times, and we hope LA Reads can continue to motivate students to read and provide literary resources for parents throughout Southern California,” said Naomi Rodriguez, Dodger Vice President of External Affairs and Community Relations.
LAUSD and other school Districts in the nation have closed all schools for the remainder of the school year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Instruction has gone online for the time being and parents, teachers, and students are placed in the unfamiliar position of having to teach and learn in a different manner. The familiar classroom setting has been replaced with digital learning at home.
AT-HOME LEARNING
At-home learning is a new method of learning, for the majority of learners, and has brought with it challenges for teachers, parents, and, students.
In an effort to help with the transition, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the LADF have launched their fourth season of LA Reads to support at-home learning. The reading challenge traditionally takes place from March through August but will run from April to August this year due to the pandemic.
LA Reads is a literacy campaign that includes a literacy challenge, “Dodgers Reading Champions”.
The plan is to encourage children to read throughout the year and rewards students that participate in the “Dodgers Reading Champions” challenge. Students in the first through eighth grade who participate in the challenge, which offers incentives, are encouraged to read more than 30 minutes per day.
“During this time, we find it important to provide children in our region with as many fun and educational tools as possible,” said LADF’s Chief Executive Officer, Nichol Whiteman. “We hope that LA Reads can offer support to families and schools as they navigate the world of distance learning and strive for continuity of education.”
Eager to support at-home learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dodgers and LADF will share digital reading experiences that families may view via social media with Dodger players, coaches, alumni, and educators reading aloud.
1,600 books for students will be distributed from the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Grab & Go Food Centers. All books will be donated by The Dodgers and LADF.
LA Reads Goals
LA Reads and the Dodgers Reading Champions are designed to motivate youth to read and help them build a lifelong love of reading.
In 2019, over 6,000 students representing over 1,100 schools throughout Southern California read a combined total of 1.5 million minutes as part of the “Dodgers Reading Champions” program.
This year the goal is for youth from first to eighth grade to read 1.75 million minutes.
Join the Dodgers Reading Champions Challenge
Parents, sign up now to track your child’s/children’s daily reading and join the Dodgers Reading Champions Challenge at Dodgers.com/LAReads.
When readers who have read at least 15-30 minutes per day, they will be eligible for a drawing for Dodger’s prizes each month.