Students Encourage Early Youth Literacy

Education majors create reading activities for kids based on knowledge they gain from university classes. Reporter Jasa Santos of the Casper Star-Tribune tells how the students apply their learning to make a difference.

LARAMIE, WYO. -- A group of students at the University of Wyoming (UW) and Casper College (CC) are taking it upon themselves to teach Natrona County youth and families about the joys of reading.

Destination Literacy is a project created by a group of education majors at UW and CC. Students develop literacy activities using skills from their teacher preparation course work.

"They really have the freedom to try out a lot of different ideas and to be responsible for learning from their mistakes," said Peggy Laughlin, the group's advisor and an elementary education professor for UW and CC.

Activities include reading with students and then directing language arts, writing or art activities related to the reading. Students work with the Boys and Girls Club at Evansville Elementary, Seton House and other local schools.

The group is volunteer-based and students are not graded for the projects they direct. Being part of Destination Literacy is a chance to show families and students how important reading is, said volunteer Jamie Stockwell.

"It's a great community activity," she said.

Destination Literacy also addresses what Stockwell sees as a gap between preschool and kindergarten learning.

"There seems to be a disconnect," Stockwell said.

Tracy Padilla, a second-grade teacher at North Casper, was one of the founding members of the project. Padilla is still involved with Destination Literacy.

Many of the students Padilla works with in class also take part in Destination Literacy activities. Research has shown early literacy skills are important to a student's later academic success.

"I feel like maybe we're leveling the playing field for those kids," Padilla said. "So when they do get into the classroom, they do not feel so far behind their peers."

For the complete story, visit the Casper Star-Tribune Online.