U.S. Secretary of Education Roderick Paige said, "A child who can read is a child who can learn, and a child who can learn is a child who can succeed and become an active contributing participant in society, who then can pass those traits down to their children."

Literacy starts with a child's first interactions. From the moment a parent starts babbling back to a baby, we teach children how to speak, read, listen, and learn. Children naturally engage in activities that help them become literate in our society-they are curious to explore their world and how it works. The thing is, literacy is more easily accomplished when resources like books, computers, and literate adults are around. If a home or day care does not have those resources, children start out with a deficit. According to the National Institute for Literacy, approximately 50 percent of the U.S. adult population lacks a sufficient foundation of basic literacy to successfully function in our society.

Literacy programs aim to counteract these issues. Research has shown that education can lead to economic and physical security as well as self-confidence and a feeling of empowerment. Here are some ongoing programs offered in the Treasure Valley.

Idaho Commission for Libraries has several programs to increase and encourage literacy. Go to libraries.idaho.gov for details.

Read to Me First Book provides children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The program provides a book a month for nine months for each participating child, and First Book families can participate in a free early literacy workshop. First Book parents also receive a monthly newsletter, The Bookworm, with tips and strategies to support early literacy skills at home.

Every Child Ready to Read Family Workshop is a six-week program that involves young children and their parents. They receive a book each week that goes with the skill they are focusing on. Fun interactive activities, practical tips, and resources are shared during each session. At the end of the six-week session, each family will have received six books, a book bag, and other materials.

The Idaho Child Care Reads Program helps public libraries enhance services for childcare providers. Childcare providers have said they have learned new literacy techniques and plan to increase the amount of time they spend reading and interacting with the children in their care.

Family Literacy Project

The Idaho Statesman launched a family literacy program in conjunction with their Newspapers in Education program. Go to http://custserv.idahostatesman.com/nie/flp.php.

Idaho State Department of Education

The Even Start program integrates early childhood education, adult literacy (adult basic and secondary-level education and/or instruction for English language learners), parenting education and interactive parent and child literacy activities into a single, unified family literacy program. http://evenstart.idahocdhd.org/ 

The Learning Lab 

The Learning Lab's Preschoolers & Parents as Partners Family Literacy program incorporates adult basic skills, early childhood classes, Parent and Child Together (PACT) time, and parenting skills. Designed to break the cycle of illiteracy within families, parents and their children from birth to 6 years old attend classes at the Lab twice a week for 2½  hours each session.  http://www.learninglabinc.org/familyliteracy.htm

Lee Pesky Learning Center

The Lee Pesky Center provides one-on-one evaluation and academic intervention for individuals with learning disabilities. In partnership with schools, they provide special academic intervention programs for children who are at risk of educational failure. In addition, through workshops, classes and on-site coaching, they help teachers of students with learning disabilities and other learning challenges. The Center also directs the Idaho Early Literacy Project, which offers training at no cost to childcare providers. This project prepares childcare providers to foster early literacy among Idaho preschool children. www.lplearningcenter.org 

Idaho Public TV

Idaho Public Television (IPTV) collaborates with First Book and other nonprofit organizations to give disadvantaged children the opportunity to read and to provide free books to children who otherwise might not have books in the home. IPTV distributes 1,700 books each month to underprivileged children around the state. http://idahoptv.org/

Neysa CM Jensen is a Boise writer, mother, and musician. Her life can be summed up by a quote from Helen Keller: "Literature is my utopia."