Day Care Literacy Program regains momentum, seeks enthusiastic volunteer
The Friends of St. Thomas Public Libraries Day Care Literacy Program has regained its momentum and now only needs one more volunteer to see outreach levels equal to before Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2017.
Program Director Carol Lotz-Felix has announced that there are now 11 centers being visited by volunteers who read to the children weekly for one hour between 9-11 am from a revolving library of engaging books.
The centers are:
- Angels 1 and 2 Sugar Estate (Nina Forfour)
- Building blocks 2 & A+ (Henrietta Serrano)
- Kids (Carol Felix & Diane Windisch)
- Beyond Bright (Sara Brin)
- Sunshine Carebear & Rosie’s (Carol Felix)
- New Testament (Gita Rose/Spring 2020)
- Building Blocks 1 & Handy Spandy
The Day Care Literacy Project was founded in 2004 through the donations of Penny and Henry Fuerzeig, with the philosophy that it is most important to reach children before the age of four with stimulating, educational fun.
Over the years the project has been funded by Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI), Rotary and private donations and now consists of over 600 books geared to ages two to five.
Volunteers visit the centers weekly and loan packets of five books which they will exchange each week. They read at least two books to the group, emphasizing child participation, verbalization and dramatic reading. The first goal, of course, is to engage the children and make books interesting and exciting. The secondary goal is to model for the teachers so they too can involve the children with books.
To volunteer, please call Carol Lotz-Felix at (340) 643-5377.