<p> United Way of Greater St. Louis, Inc. Ready Readers</p><p>Timing: November – Feb., 2009</p><p>Preferred Placement: none</p><p>Headline:  Reading is essential to youth</p><p>Since 1994, United Way’s Success By Six® program has developed, implemented and supported several strategies to help children to be ready for school by the age of six. Currently, United Way is partnering with Ready Readers in their mission to inspire at- risk preschool children to become readers by reading aloud to them and by increasing their exposure to quality books and stimulating reading-related activities. Each week during the 2008-09 school year, more than 350 Ready Readers’ volunteers read aloud to 6,500 plus at-risk preschool children. These children came from 102 head starts and similar programs in the City and County of St. Louis and in several adjacent Missouri counties. More than 36,000 new books were distributed to the students.</p><p>Did you know that………</p><p> The two most important factors that determine school-age literacy are (1) a child’s regular exposure to reading aloud when under the age of five and (2) a child’s easy access to enough children’s books at home?  The average American middle-class child is exposed to 1,000 to 1,700 hours of one-on-one picture book reading; but sadly, the average American child living in poverty is exposed to just 25 hours of one-on-one picture book reading while growing up? </p><p>According to statistics presented by the City of St. Louis’ Mayor's office in 2006, only six percent of students in the City’s high schools are reading at grade level. Research shows that print motivation—a child’s interest in and enjoyment of books—is essential to developing good literacy skills. </p><p>Reading aloud to children is the single most important intervention for developing their literacy skills; and access to a sufficient number of suitable books is critical to reading readiness. </p><p>Add agency specific paragraph here if you provide programming or activities that support reading readiness, otherwise please delete this sentence. </p><p>If you know of a school that could use Ready Readers’ volunteers or would like to know more about the United Way’s partnership, contact S. Wray Clay at [email protected] or (314) 539-4005.</p>