JetBlue and PBS Kids Soar with Reading Program

Karl Alexander is a professor of sociology at John Hopkins University in Baltimore.  He has studied the same group of almost 800 people over a span of 27 years.  His research has concluded that children from less affluent, less educated backgrounds fare worse later in life than those who come from more privileged backgrounds.  But his research also shows that what children do over the summer as far as educational activities can close this achievement gap.  He has concluded that education outside the classroom, through summertime activities rooted in family life, can boost a child’s prospects for the future. (Source: www.cslspreads.org).

A Lack of Resources:

The problem is that many of these less affluent families do not have access to the same resources. A recent study shows that there is only one age-appropriate book available for every 300 children living in under-served communities in the United States. That’s less than 1% of the number books available to children in middle-income neighborhoods. (Source: www.soarwithreading.com).

Helping to Bridge the Gap:

The JetBlue and PBS Kids Soar with Reading Program is a great example of  large corporations doing good in underprivileged communities.   In 2011, JetBlue and PBS KIDS teamed up to launch Soar with Reading, an award-winning program, designed to get children excited about reading. Their 2nd annual Soar with Reading Program started this past May and ended on September 7th.

 As part of the program, families are able to access free resources at www.soarwithreading.com designed to help keep kids engaged in reading all summer long.  While on the site, adults are able to help place books into the hands of children by simply sharing their name of their favorite book.  For every online submission, an age-appropriate book is donated to a deserving child. Another bonus to the website is that they provide literacy based activities and games to help support families who might not have access to resources that encourage reading. 

 It is so wonderful to see companies such as Jet Blue and PBS Kids, with the support of Barefoot Books, help to close this gap in disadvantaged families.  Professor Alexander states in an ODE article that one of the ways to help disadvantaged parents is to provide these parents resources so they can be more effective in helping their children be more successful in school.  He mentions how these families want the same things for their children but just don’t have the means.  The JetBlue Soar with Reading Program and website are examples of corporations working hard to provide free resources for these families. (Source: www.cslspreads.org).

JetBlue and PBS Kids Reach their Goal:

Congratulations JetBlue and PBS Kids for reaching your goal this summer of providing over $200,000 worth of books into the hands of deserving children! Some of the grant recipients include: Escuelita del Alma in Austin, Texas, Los Angeles Universal Preschool in Burbank, California, and Reach out and Read in Burlingham, Vermont.

Here’s to bridging the achievement gap!

References:

JetBlue and PBS Kids Soar with Reading Program.  www.soarwithreading.com

Collaborative Summer Library Program. www.cslspreads.org