In the spring of 2011, Ann Johnston, Mayor of Stockton at the time, brought together a group of community agencies to form Read to Me, Stockton!
Joining Mayor Ann Johnston, were representatives from Stockton Unified School District, San Joaquin County Office of Education, University of the Pacific, San Joaquin County United Way, San Joaquin Public Library, Bring Me a Book and the Rotary Club of Stockton, with the goal of bringing the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to Stockton. This group has recently expanded to include eleven agencies, the roles of which are described below.
The Imagination Library is offered in cities across our nation, Canada and the United Kingdom. The program’s purpose is to encourage early childhood reading. Since 2009, Rotary International has been working with the Imagination Library to promote early childhood reading. Through the Imagination Library program, a child receives an age-appropriate book each month until age five. Rotary clubs have teamed up with Dolly to bring books to children in more than 300 communities.
No one does a better job in explaining the program than the founder – let Dolly Parton introduce her Imagination Library to you.
Read to Me, Stockton! began with zip code 95205 in 2011, added 95206 and in 2013 expanded to include 95202 and 95210. The families in these zip codes have the greatest need for literacy education and their children are at the greatest academic risk. The area includes about fourteen schools in Stockton Unified School District (SUSD), Manteca Unified School District and Lodi Unified School District. We will continue to expand to new zip codes until over 20,000 children, ages 0 to 5, receive a free book every month in the city of Stockton. Please click here to read our status report which summarizes our progress over the first two years of the project.
Our former Mayor Ann Johnston is the administrator of the program. Her genuine concern and knowledge of the value of reading at a very young age and her ability as a leader is vital to our program. Stockton Unified School District is in charge of registration and reaching out to the community. They conduct meetings and training sessions with parents to encourage and help them to read to their children. SUSD is developing an evaluation program to measure the program’s success. San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) provides administrative and clerical support to the Read to Me, Stockton! Steering Committee and works closely with the Post Office to ensure that books are reaching enrolled children. In addition, SJCOE supports school districts and community-based organizations in their efforts to promote RTMS registration and parental access to literacy-focused education opportunities. United Way of San Joaquin County has added the project to their fund raising program through payroll deductions and is a vital partner in planning the project. San Joaquin Delta College is in charge of data entry and maintaining the database. University of the Pacific assists in database management and has created a video of children and their parents who are in the RTMS program. Rotary Club of Stockton is the affiliate that holds the agreement with the Dollywood Foundation for the Read to Me, Stockton! program. Through the Stockton Rotary Endowment, Rotary is responsible for the funding of the program and is the financial contact with the Dollywood Foundation. San Joaquin Public Library solicits applications at local libraries and participates in parent training and project kickoffs at new school sites. San Joaquin Public Health Services plays a major role in registering children for the program through its public health nurses, outreach workers and its collaboration with the county’s maternity hospitals and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs. Family Resource and Referral Center provides meeting space at the Teen Center and promotes RTMS signups with their hundreds of child care providers. Books for Babes is a volunteer group that gives books to new born babies at local hospitals and registers the new borns for the project.
Many clubs have already introduced the Library to their community. The Rationale – The value of reading to young children is well documented. It has been determined that 90% of brain development occurs before age three. Nothing can replace the experience of a very young child sitting in the lap of a parent or sibling hearing the sounds and seeing the letters, touching the book, thus associating reading with an enjoyable, warm and comfortable experience. Research shows that children exposed to reading in early childhood are more likely to look forward to school, do well early and to go on to college.
Just think, we will be responsible for young children anticipating the arrival, each month, of their very own book, receiving it and tugging on a parent, saying “please read my book to me”. Those of us involved in the Read to Me, Stockton! program wish you to read three short articles. Why? Reading these articles will get you excited. The program works! You may register a child at birth and before their fifth birthday. Make sure the child lives in one of the following zip codes – 95202, 95205, 95206 and 95210. Children may be registered in two ways. If you wish us to help you register a child you may click here. Please print out the form and send it to the address at the top. Or you may register a child yourself online by clicking here. Should you require help please contact us at 209-472-9662 or email us at info@stocktonrotary.org. .
Read to Me, Stockton! Donors Abdallah, Kris Ballot, Nancy Bewley, Marilyn Brown, Donna Byers, Kathryn Calderone, Yvonne Castillo, Michael Dobbs, Cynthia Eastwood, Susijean Galbraith, Mary Grego, Mingo Jabarouti, Panthea Lowery, Diana Martin, Alice Maxwell, Wendi McGarry, Cara Munoz, Sarah Peterson, Karen Pond, Geniel Shore, Marilyn Silva, Debra Wentworth, Sarah E Williamson, Marvin Wilson, Michael Will you help us? If you are a large group, a business, or a professional group, please click here to print out a donation form. You may send the form with your check to “Rotary Club of Stockton, P. O. Box 7457, Stockton, CA 95267”. If you are an individual please click here . When the form is completed you may send it with your check to “Rotary Club of Stockton, P. O. Box 7457, Stockton, CA 95267”. If you wish to contact us directly please call us at 209-472-9662 or email us at info@stocktonrotary.org.
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Rotary Club of Stockton
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First 5 San Joaquin
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
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AT&T
California Water Service
Comcast Financial Agency
Community Foundation of San Joaquin
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City of Stockton Mayor’s Book Club
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Marchant, S. J.
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Alex & Faye Spanos Family Trust
F & M Bank
KP Kaiser Health Plans
Stockton Delta Rotary
Fennell, Elizabeth
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Kellar, Debra
Mansfield, Muriel
Wright, Dan
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