How Book Mentors Support Early Literacy

Kelly Russell, child development services manager for Champaign County Head Start, describes how Illinois Public Media’s Book Mentor Project builds community support for early literacy in Champaign County.

Not only do volunteers from community service organizations go into Head Start classrooms once a month to read a story and do an activity with the children, but many of those same community service organizations provide financial support for the project. "I think the Book Mentor Project is a wonderful program," she said.  It allows our children and families and community and teachers to work together to insure that children are ready for kindergarten.”