Cool Kids Read 2021-22

In the fall of 2021, Cool Kids Read was developed and implemented to promote literacy to second graders in six different school districts in Scioto County and encourage them to get excited about reading. The Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth hosted this service project in partnership with Shawnee State University’s Project Bear program and the Portsmouth Public Library. The participants were members of the Kiwanis Key Clubs at Clay, Portsmouth, East, Wheelersburg, West, and Notre Dame high schools as well as Circle K Club members and athletes from Shawnee State University. The Key Clubs and Circle K club are service clubs sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth.

September 18, 2021 — Kiwanis Kids Day

Members of the Circle K club at Shawnee State University (above, left) distributed free books to nearly 200 children who attended Kids Day. The books were purchased by the Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth in coordination with Project Bear at Shawnee State University. The Portsmouth Public Library (above, right) also signed up children for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.



The second phase of Cool Kids Read
was funded by ServeOhio.


October 12, 2021 — Cool Kids Read Boot Camp

Nearly 50 students and advisors attended the Cool Kids Read Boot camp at Gatti’s Pizza in preparation for Make a Difference Day. Dinner was provided for the students, and Shawnee State Project Bear taught the students how to read to second grade students in a fun and engaging way. The students then practiced by reading to each other.


October 20-26, 2021

Key Club members read The Cool Bean aloud in 27 different classrooms to 452 second grade students enrolled in six school districts.

March 2022

CircleK and Key Club members distributed free copies of The Bad Guys chapter books to second-grade students at the the following schools.

Clay


The Clay High Key Club was invited to return to read to their second-grade classes each Friday going forward.


East


Notre Dame


Portsmouth


West


Wheelersburg

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