HAMPTON, Va. — This Summer, a church in Hampton is helping kids enjoy reading. The First Baptist Church of Hampton is hosting the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom (CDF) School for the first time, assisting kids in enjoying literature.
“The Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program is a culturally responsive summer enrichment reading program,” said the CDF Program National Director, Dr. Kristal Moore Clemons.
As a part of the program, 50 scholars, elementary school-aged children, are building self-esteem and reading books with characters that look like them.
“We break into our integrated reading curriculum; it’s that culturally responsive planning that we do, and then after that, we have DEAR time, which is dropping everything and reading,” said Dr. Clemons.
The Freedom School was the brainchild of civil rights activist Marian Wright Edelman in the early 1960s. Today, the program operates across the United States.
The program also fills the literacy gap for students. According to studies, literacy rates among students declined by 25% over the Summer.
“We actually do a national assessment where we do a pre and post-reading inventory for our scholars, and we find that many of them experience anywhere between three to six months of reading gains as a result of participating in the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program,” said Dr. Clemons.
However, the day is also filled with fun. Each morning, students gather around for Harambee, which means “all pull together in Swahili.
Teachers encourage students to dance to promote happiness and shake off negative emotions.
While the program strives to foster a healthy relationship with reading, Dr. Clemons hopes all students will leave feeling confident and empowered.
“I hope they walk first knowing that they’re cared for and two knowing that they can make a difference,” said Dr. Clemons.