草榴社区 students will read to children in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
Every year in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, local children gather at Village Books to hear stories about tolerance, the civil rights movement and cultures from around the world. The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Read-In and Book Drive will take place on Monday, Jan. 18.
Parents and friends are encouraged to bring their 3- to 8-year-old children to Village Books (at 1200 11th St., Bellingham) any time between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Western Washington University students will celebrate King's vision for justice and equality by reading a selection of colorful and engaging children's books. The books are available for donation to local non-profit organizations.
At 10 a.m., before the read-in begins, interested adults will be able to attend an interactive workshop on reading multicultural books with young children. Karen Hoelscher, professor of Elementary Education at 草榴社区, will share ideas that educators recommend for choosing and reading multicultural books, how to help children make personal connections with the content, and how to respond to difficult questions about social justice issues.
The read-in and book drive event is sponsored by 草榴社区's Center for Service-Learning, Village Books and the 草榴社区 Associated Students Bookstore. Village Books and the AS Bookstore will have displays of multicultural and social justice-themed books available for purchase and donation from Jan. 6 to 18.
The books will benefit three local organizations: Blue Skies for Children, The Agape Home and Dorothy Place.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Center for Service-Learning or the read-in may call (360) 650-7542 or visit the center's Web site at .