UW’s Reading Under the Lights to inspire kids this May

Reading is fundamental, and this May United Way Wayne & Holmes Counties is busy making sure every child gets an opportunity to read to their hearts content.

Throughout the month of May, United Way will offer five Reading Under the Lights events throughout Wayne and Holmes counties, with plenty of activities, reading and family time on tap.

The events will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7 at Norwayne High School; from 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 7 at Triway High School; from 6-8 p.m. Monday, May 18 at Wooster City Schools; from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 20 at West Holmes High School; and from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26 at Northwestern High School.

United Way has been presenting Reading Under the Lights for a decade now in Wooster and surrounding areas, and it has been a success.

“We already had one amazing night of Reading Under the Lights at Ida Sue School in April, and we’re excited to offer several other opportunities this month,” said Ashley Hershberger, associate director at UWWH. “Kids can get up to five books that they can personally pick out themselves for free. Every school also has a book they pick that will serve as a theme, so every child will also receive that book in addition to their five, and it’s all free to the families.”

Hershberger said they can provide this opportunity to area kids in elementary school thanks to local sponsorships from individuals and businesses.

UWWH continues to introduce new area schools into the program, with West Holmes and Hiland both joining the schedule — WHHS in May and East Holmes later this fall.

Reading to young children is important because it builds early language skills, strengthens brain development, fosters imagination and creates a strong emotional bond between parent and children, all of which set the foundation for lifelong learning and success.

UWWH also partners with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides free books from birth to age 5, so Hershberger said this event simply provides a continuation of that effort to inspire children to read.

“It’s about creating a passion and love for reading, and we all know reading becomes foundational in the growth of learning,” Hershberger said.

The evening is built around celebrating reading, but there is much more to get excited about, and it’s all free to attending families. Meals will be provided, there will be celebrity readers, canines will be there for the kids, and there will be mascot characters and special groups, like local high school FFA teams, who will spend time with families.

“I know the West Holmes FFA will have some animals there for the kids to pet,” Hershberger said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together.”

She said May provides the perfect timing to present Reading Under the Lights because it comes at the end of the school year and moves kids right into what United Way terms the summer slide, when kids are getting out of school and heading into summer break.

By providing them with free books, it encourages them to read throughout the summer months.

“These are all brand-new books that the kids get to pick out themselves,” Hershberger said. "They’re not secondhand, and there are many titles for them to choose from, so they are getting books they really want to read.”

Come this fall, there will be three more Reading Under the Lights events including evenings at Waynedale Local Schools, Rittman Exempted Village Schools and East Holmes Local Schools.

If any business or individual would like to donate to this cause, they may do so by sponsoring one school or spread it over all the schools. Those interested should call UWWH at 330-264-5584.