by Jabari Bruce
A Better Jamaica held their annual Jamaica Read-a-thon on Giving Tuesday – Tuesday, November, 29th 2022. The event took place online from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. and involved a series of adults reading their favorite children’s book. The event was streamed on the Jamaica Read-a-thon website (http://www.thejamaicareadathon.com) and via YouTube. A recording of the read-a-thon now lives on A Better Jamaica’s YouTube page.
Some of the books that were featured were, “Where the Wild Things Are”, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”, and “Oh The Places, You’ll Go”. After each book was read, a series of questions were posed to each reader – providing the opportunity to explain the significance of the book to them.
The Jamaica Read-a-thon – hosted by Gregory Mays, the founder of a Better Jamaica – helps fund the Jamaica Reads program. Jamaica Reads deploys senior citizens to elementary schools where they provide one-on-one tutoring to 1st grade students struggling with the acquisition of their reading skills. Launched in the Fall of 2010 at P.S. 48, the program currently operates at P.S. 36 and P.S. 80.
For more information on the Jamaica Reads program and/or A Better Jamaica, visit http://www.abetterjamaica.org