Early literacy camp helps Toledo students engage with reading

In a single year, Ian Oliver went from needing early literacy intervention to being toward the top of his first-grade class in reading ability.

He was able to make this transition with the help of Read for Literacy, said his mother, Ashley Oliver.

“I noticed that Ian was struggling in some areas,” Ms. Oliver said. “Read for Literacy was helping with his confidence. He was kind of shy, but it really brought him out of that. I also know he improved his reading. At school, I noticed that he started picking up books.”

Read for Literacy is a local organization that works to increase literacy skills in Lucas, Wood, Defiance, Henry, and Fulton counties. The organization runs a free early literacy camp in the summer, funded by the city of Toledo, to provide students ages 4 to 8 with the skills they need to be successful in school.

The camp focuses on letter recognition, sight words, rhyming, alliteration, and comprehension, said Diana Bush, executive director of Read for Literacy.

“It’s really important that children, when they come to kindergarten, have a good foundation of early literacy skills so that they can be successful in that classroom,” Ms. Bush said. “Most kindergarten teachers don’t have the opportunity to spend time working one on one with children on those early literacy skills.”

The camp, run by a mix of Read for Literacy staff and local volunteers, focuses on small group activities to engage students and promote social confidence.

After noticing Ian’s trouble during kindergarten, Ms. Oliver was looking for a way to set her son up for success over the summer. She saw Read for Literacy’s camp in the Toledo Summer Program Guide and signed her son up for four weeks.

“First I was reading to Ian,” Ms. Oliver said. “Then when Read for Literacy brought out books, we would go over them, and he became familiar with the sight words. It kind of clicked.”

While the first session of early literacy camp passed, there will be two more two-week sessions throughout the summer. Session two will take place at Jamie Farr Park from July 8-18. Session three will be at Oakdale Park from July 22 to Aug. 1. The camp runs Monday through Thursday mornings.

Keeping up with literacy skills is especially important in the summer, Ms. Bush said, because students go through a “summer-slide” when they aren’t in school every day.

To make sure students are practicing not only during camp hours but at home as well, Read for Literacy attempts to build up students’ at-home libraries. The camp selects a book of the day and allows students to take a copy home with a parent activity sheet.

Currently, Read for Literacy’s Early Literacy Camp is accepting sign-ups. To enroll a child, parents or caregivers can call the Read for Literacy office at 419-242-7323.