I am excited to announce my first annual Mayor's Birthday Book Club! Early childhood education and literacy are very important to me, and statistics show that children who have access to age-appropriate books in their homes have a better chance at succeeding academically, and a stronger foundation for success throughout their lives. Reading at grade level by 3rd grade is a key marker for a child's academic trajectory.
I am proud to team up with Scholastic, an organization that has been providing books and educational resources to educators and families for more than 100 years. The first year of this program will be a pilot of 500 books for children ages pre-k to 3rd grade during their birthday month, with the potential to expand next year and beyond.
Each book will come addressed to the reader with a special birthday message from me. I look forward to reading with you!