St. George Rotary Club is collecting and donating new or gently loved children's books in support of the St. George Children’s Museum lending library - ages newborn to 6th grade. Local residents are invited to purchase new books - or to sort through books your own children (or grands) have enjoyed, but have now outgrown.
In a recent luncheon meeting of St. George Rotary club, speaker Amy Mitchell, Title 1 director at the Washington County School District, told members of SGR, “studies have shown 74% of 3rd graders who read poorly still struggle in ninth grade and, it has been found, third grade reading scores can predict a student’s likelihood of graduating from high school.”
Other statistics Mitchell reported indicate, “today’s 3rd graders not reading on grade level are on track to be our nation’s lowest income, least skilled citizens.” Mitchell also noted, “85% of juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate.” She continued, “on average, every high school dropout costs U.S. taxpayers an estimated $292,000 over a lifetime … and 3 out of 5 inmates in U.S. prisons can’t read.”
Your help with this simple but important service project is very much appreciated. Please drop your donated books to the front desk at the Best Western Abbey Inn at 1129 S. Bluff Street.
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