Highlighting the Nehemiah Ministry on Make a Difference Day | Saturday, October 26, 2024

In the battle to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, one shocking statistic stands out: children who cannot read proficiently by the end of third grade face an 80% chance of future incarceration. This week, we shine a light on the inspiring efforts of the Nehemiah Ministry and our community partners who are working tirelessly to change these outcomes. On Make a Difference Day, October 26, 2024, the Nehemiah Ministry led an initiative to foster early literacy by installing reading gardens at North Fork Elementary and Westside Heights Elementary in Fort Lauderdale.

Community partners for this event include:

• The Fort Lauderdale Garden Club
• Action For Literacy
• North Fork Elementary
• Westside Heights Elementary
• City of Fort Lauderdale
• Neighbor Volunteer Office
• Christian Life Center

These partners recognize that early literacy is key to a successful life and career. Together, they are supporting young learners in Fort Lauderdale to thrive in school and beyond by establishing a yearlong literacy program for at-risk students. Spearheaded by the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Education and Neighbor Volunteer Offices, this program embraces a Science of Reading approach, incorporating hands-on learning through gardening, which enhances word recognition and cognitive development.

Phase I: Schoolyard Gardens and Literacy Focused on Nature and Environment

Phase I of this initiative brought volunteers together to build sensory-rich reading gardens, offering children a serene, educational environment at North Fork and Westwood Heights Elementary Schools. The Fort Lauderdale Garden Club and Christian Life Center provided support to equip each school with the necessary resources for garden creation and sustained learning activities. These gardens will serve as both peaceful learning spaces and hands-on educational tools, reinforcing the children’s connection to reading, nature, and their community.

Phase II: Volunteer Readers and Ongoing Literacy Engagement

With Phase I complete, Phase II calls for ongoing recruitment of volunteer readers. Community members can get involved through a simple, impactful role: reading mentor. To volunteer, visit Volunteer to Mentor a Reader. Mentors will bring stories to life for young learners, focusing on materials related to gardening, nature, and environmental education, generously provided through a collaboration with the Department of Applied Learning at Broward County Public Schools.

The Urgent Need: Third-Grade Literacy as a Life-Changer

The ability to read by third grade is more than a milestone; it’s a lifeline. Until third grade, children learn to read, but from fourth grade onward, they must read to learn. Without literacy, students struggle, and for too many, the result is a tragic path toward the prison system. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s “Early Warning!” report underscores this, showing that early reading skills shape future opportunities.

At Christian Life Center, we follow Christ’s call to defend the vulnerable. Since 2016, we’ve led a literacy movement in Fort Lauderdale, fabricating and installing over 200 little libraries across the city. Now, with the reading gardens initiative, we are taking this mission further by creating nurturing school environments where children can enjoy the gift of reading. Studies affirm that children who are read to in early years are more likely to excel academically. Thank you, Christian Life Center, and our devoted partners for committing to this vision, ensuring that every child in our community has the chance to read by third grade!

Let’s rally together for literacy, empowerment, and a brighter future for every child in Fort Lauderdale!

Learn more about Nehemiah Ministry

Become a Reading Mentor

Sources:

1. Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2010). Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters.
2. National Center for Education Statistics. (2021). Adult Literacy in the United States.
3. Children’s Bureau. (2023). The Impact of Early Literacy on Child Development.
4. National Institute for Literacy. (2022). The Role of Shared Reading in Language and Literacy Development.

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