imagineOne

imagineOne Day Our Nation's Children Will All Be Able to Read

BY CHRISTINE NESSLER

Nearly three years ago, sitting down to their weekly cup of coffee together at Neutral Groundz in North Mankato, Kristin Cain and her father George Peterson began discussing the serious concern of illiteracy in America. As owners of The Child’s World, an independent, family-owned book publishing company founded in 1968, Cain and Peterson have a vested interest in ensuring the children of our nation develop their love of reading, but more importantly, can read.

According to Cain, a day or two before they had coffee that week there was a big community discussion about the literacy rates in Mankato based on graduation rates. The community seemed to be proud of the literacy rate of 76%.

“That means 24% are illiterate,” said Cain. “As everyone was celebrating, we were thinking that number was really quite awful. It’s not a success. There are too many kids that are not able to read.”

Peterson also has a great passion for literacy. He believes the illiteracy problem is deep seeded and far reaching, affecting unemployment, prison and poverty rates in our country.

“The Nation’s Report Card which is put out by the Department of Education indicates that 64% of our nation’s children cannot read at a third-grade reading level,” Peterson said. “It’s an epidemic. Literacy in America has disintegrated from the time that I grew up when there was 100% literacy in the 1950s and 1960s.”

According to Peterson, the difference back then was the parent’s involvement in preparing their kids for kindergarten by introducing them to reading and using phonics. He noted in the 1970s and 1980s a new teaching methodology was introduced called the whole language approach. This theory, that if children were simply exposed to books they would learn to read, held for decades. Now, years later, a new movement called The Science of Reading concludes the nation needs to return to phonics.

“Children need explicit phonics instruction to learn how to read and decipher words,” Peterson said.

The Child’s World has just the resource for parents needing to help their children learn phonics skills to be proficient in reading. Since the 1970s, they have been publishing a set of books called “My First Steps to Reading”. Over the years they have sold over 36 million copies of “My First Steps to Reading” to schools, libraries, and families. These books prepare children for a lifetime of reading by getting back to the basics of phonics. The set includes twentysix books, complete with various activities to engage the children and a parent’s guide which provides tips, tricks, and ideas to help parents teach their children to read. The books were written by Jane Belk Moncure, a leading advocate of Early Childhood Education in the 1950s and 1960s.

“If each child had a set of ‘My First Steps to Reading’, more kids could read,” said Cain. “Yet not all kids can get their hands on a set.”

As book publishers of these tried-and-true beginning to read books, Cain saw an opportunity to make a difference. So, at Neutral Groundz that day, with an idea in her heart and a buzz of espresso coursing through her veins, Cain presented her father with an idea of how to best reach the educational market with their “My First Steps to Reading” books and lessen the literacy gap.

“She said ‘Dad, I have an idea. Let’s give the books away,’” recalled Peterson.

Her philanthropic plan was to address illiteracy one community at a time, starting with the home of five generations of the Peterson family – Mankato/ North Mankato. Cain foresaw focusing on the school district to disseminate the books to parents who would share them with their preschool-aged children through a loving interaction of reading and phonics activities. One community at a time, they could make a difference in the growing illiteracy rate.

In that moment, imagineOne was born. This nonprofit advocates for the teaching of phonics and provides preschool families with free sets of “My First Steps to

Reading” to communities across America. Through generous donations, imagineOne has been able to donate 1,500 sets of “My First Steps to Reading” to Mankato Area Public Schools Preschool Programs, Head Starts and other various preschools. Prior to making the donations, Peterson and Cain meet with school administrators, curriculum directors and even school boards to approve the addition of the program to schools’ curriculum. Public schools have been eager to come on board, knowing the answer to illiteracy isn’t the school’s burden alone but must also fall on parents at home. imagineOne provides the tools parents need to be successful in teaching their children.

“In the set of books is a parent’s guide and that is just as valuable as the books themselves,” Cain said of the guide’s tips, tricks, and ideas to help their kids learn about letters and the sounds of language.

“It also gives parents and caregivers activities to do with their kids. That bond is important to reading. If parents are reading and showing interest in reading, then kids are more likely to be interested.”

As a part of the program around “My First Steps to Reading”, schools are also implementing Parent, Child, and Teacher nights to help teach parents the skills they need to help their children learn to read.

“Parents are the child’s first teachers,” said Peterson. Although daunting for some parents, Peterson points out the rewards of teaching your children.

“I can remember teaching Kris how to ride a bike,” Peterson said. “Holding on to her and running after her as she was trying to balance the bike as it was moving forward at a little too much speed and then all of a sudden, she got it. She could ride all by herself. All of a sudden, a whole new world opened to her, a certain freedom she never had before. That’s exactly the feeling a child has when all of a sudden, she says, ‘I can read!’ What we are trying to do is so simple, yet so very profound. Reading opens new worlds for children that are otherwise closed. It’s freedom we are talking about,” said Peterson.

Over the last three years, Peterson and Cain have grown the program from the Mankato area to surrounding communities. They have also expanded to Florida, Pennsylvania, and California where they both have connections. imagineOne now provides parent guides in Spanish as well as English and they have volunteers ready and willing to go through the “My First Steps to Reading” program as a support for parents who are unable to complete the program at home. imagineOne has been fortunate to be supported by many generous donors, but they are always looking for passionate people to help them further grow their program. All donations go directly to the purchase of “My First Steps to Reading”.

“When we go into communities, we don’t want the program to last for just a year,” said Cain. “It’s not meant to be temporary. It’s meant to be a permanent solution to the illiteracy crisis in the communities we serve.”

imagineOne is changing the way schools and families are approaching teaching children to read.

“Learning to read is a learned skill. It must be taught,” said Peterson. “Just giving books to a community or to a family does not serve the purpose. Children need to be taught to read. It is the most important life skill that you can give to your children.”

One community at a time, imagineOne is determined to see that all families have the tools to give the gift of reading to their children.

imagineOne day our nation’s children will all be able to read.