April

Drexel Students Help Children Improve Reading Skills at the Free Library

April 14, 2017
It’s a bright Sunday afternoon at the Walnut Street West Library and Camiya Mercer-Bristow has her eyes up focused on a story that her teacher is reading out loud. The 8-year old came to the library, located just blocks from Drexel’s campus in West Philadelphia to spend the sunny afternoon working to improve her reading skills.

Most kids Camiya’s age would rather spend the weekend off from school playing video games or running around outside with friends. But not Camiya. Her mother, Samia sought out programs to help her daughter improve her reading skills after noticing her falling behind some of her classmates. She heard about a new program offered by the Free Library of Philadelphia called the Sunday Literacy Program through the city-wide Read by 4th Campaign. The program, currently in the pilot stage, offers free afternoon classes to help children in first-through-third grades improve reading skills and comprehension at eleven Free Library neighborhood libraries across Philadelphia.
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