MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Child Development Center is scheduled to hold a Read for the Record book reading for station children at CDC facilities and the library here Oct. 6.
All around the world prominent people will be reading the book, “Llama Llama Red Pajama” to children ages 1 through 5 at 10 a.m., including Matt Lauer on The Today Show, in order to help people understand the importance of literacy at an early age.
“The program is to help raise awareness of the importance to read to children during the first few years of their lives,” said Pam A. Zeugin, project coordinator.
Children are easily influenced during the early stages of their development and it is important to take advantage of their first few years.
“Children’s brains develop 80 percent during the first three years of their lives,” said Zeugin.
Parents try to give their children a proper education, but some families simply do not have the resources based on income, location and available opportunities.
“We are trying to bring attention to the fact there’s a real problem with early literacy in the United States with many children living in poverty,” said Zeugin.
We have been trying to get pertinent members of the station to read to the children, or just be involved in the project, Zeuguin said.
A child requires more than the influence of parents.
Role models from all different settings are very influential in a child’s development.
“It takes a village to raise a family and we have a great village here at Iwakuni,” said Zeugin.
The project is designed to have families come together, enjoy each other and simply read a book.
“It really helps bring families together,” said Zeugin. “Parents have been constantly asking to be more and more involved in the project.”
The goal of this project is to create a connection between parents and their children’s education and improve family bonding.
“It is about promoting early literacy among children and getting parents to sit down with children to read,” said Courtney E. Pollock, marketing coordinator.
The event is scheduled to take place at the CDC facilities. There is an additional reading scheduled to take place at the station library.
“The library allows all children on base an alternative place to go and listen to the book,” said Pollock.
This project is only just beginning on the station, but reading events have been going on in the U.S. for many years.
“The project was originally created by Yale students trying to go into lower income schools and reading to children in order to try and encourage earlier literacy,” said Pollock.
Station residents have also been working with children here during the Summer reading Program “Midsummer Nights Read”.
This project began in 1993 and has spread throughout the U.S.