By:  Peggy Jackson, Family Resource Centers, Director

In the middle of this cold winter weather, you are invited to join us on a tropical adventure to Hawaii for a “Literacy Luau”! Fun activities have been planned for this year’s “Book Jam” events! Students will learn interesting facts about our 50^th state – Hawaii and engage in activities that encourage reading and reinforce reading and comprehension skills.

All students enrolled at Anderson, Haywood Elementary, and East Side schools will choose three books of interest to them and take the books home to keep! Thanks to the Family Resource Center grant, a United Way grant, and donations from individuals and local civic groups, these books are provided at no cost to the students!

Research has shown a direct correlation between the number of books children have in their home and how successful they are in school. By putting more books into the homes of our students, parents are encouraged to read with their children to achieve the ultimate goal of children becoming more successful with reading skills and improve overall reading scores.

Parents and volunteers are needed to assist with the distributions. Help is needed to keep books on the tables and read with the students. Please come to the school gymnasiums any time between 8 and 2 on the “Book Jam” days – January 9 was the date for East Side; January 17 for Anderson; and January 24 for Haywood Elementary.

“Book Jams” are coordinated by The Haywood County Family Resource Centers and the Haywood County UT/TSU Extension office. For more information on volunteering or to donate to the Reading Is Fundamental “Book Jam” project, please contact Peggy Jackson at 772-2861.