SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (KTVZ) – Fireflies SPARKY! book trailer has begun handing out free books to children around Central Oregon in a summer effort to prevent the learning loss some students experience while away from school.
SPARKY!, a 6-foot by 10-foot trailer put into service with the support of the SELCO Steps Up community giving program, made its first delivery Friday afternoon at Redmond High School.
Fireflies – a community outreach program of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon – works with employees of SELCO, NeighborImpact and the Bend-La Pine and Redmond school districts to deliver and distribute books to children in Central Oregon parks and schools. Every student, kindergarten through fifth grade, is eligible to receive a book at the events, which are held in conjunction with the NeighborImpact mobile food pantry.
Fireflies helps foster literacy and learning skills for children through fifth grade. The nonprofit believes that addressing the “summer slide,” a term coined for when students lose knowledge during the months-long summer break, is among the most effective ways to keep kids on track toward educational milestones.
“It may come as no surprise, but research shows that summer reading is an easy and effective way to maintain and even increase critical literacy skills,” said Olivia Sorensen, senior community development specialist for SELCO. “With SPARKY!, Fireflies addresses those needing heads. -Ob, ensuring kids hit the ground running when school returns. As a credit union founded by educators nearly a century ago, SELCO has supported education since start – and Fireflies is an outstanding partner in this work.
Over the past three summers, SPARKY! delivered books to 724 Central Oregon children. In addition to book deliveries, Fireflies’ outreach initiatives include a summer book bag program at partner schools in Bend, Redmond and La Pine, and small school libraries strategically placed on school campuses.
“The ‘summer slide’ is a real concern for young students across Central Oregon,” said John Horwich, external fundraising coordinator for Fireflies. “Thanks to partners like SELCO, we can get books into the hands of hundreds of kids every summer and make a difference in their entire education.”
THE SPARK! will make eight stops throughout the summer throughout Central Oregon.
WHAT: THE SPARK! The Book Trailer Free Book Distribution Events.
WHO: Fireflies and SELCO Community Credit Union
WHEN:
Friday, June 21: 3-4:30 p.m., at Redmond High School
Friday, June 28, 3-4 p.m., at Ridgeview High School
Friday, July 5, 3-4:30 p.m., at Redmond High School
Thursday, July 9, noon-1 p.m., at Pine Tree Nursery Park
Friday, July 19, 3-4:30 p.m., at Redmond High School
Friday, July 26, 3-4 p.m., at Ridgeview High School
Friday, August 2, 3-4:30 p.m., at Redmond High School
Friday, August 16, 3-4:30 p.m., at Redmond High School
For more information: uufco.org/fireflies.
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Image Source : ktvz.com
