For some kids, summer reading is a drag. Not so when the chief of police is the one reading the story.
On Tuesday, Chief Joseph St. John of the Columbus Police Department read to elementary students at the HEARTS tutoring ministry. He told them that literacy is a skill they will use every day of their lives.
“From kindergarten to second grade, you learn to read,” St. John said. “Then from third grade on for the rest of your life, you read to learn. Don”t take reading for granted.”
He read from “David Gets In Trouble,” a book about a little boy who shifts the blame in an attempt to avoid punishment.
“I ought to take this down to the line-up room,” he said, joking that some of the people he arrests could benefit from reading the book.
HEARTS is an acronym for Helping Every Age Reach and Teach Students, a mission the tutors take seriously.
“We don”t exclude any children from any elementary school,” said Mary Ezell, executive director of the ministry, located at 109 Lawence Drive.
During the school year, HEARTS provides tutoring at area elementary schools in all areas of study, with an emphasis on math, reading and spelling. Although HEARTS is typically an after-school program, the organization also conducts summer programs. This summer, the theme is “An Island Adventure,” and students are learning about such classics as “Robinson Crusoe” and “Treasure Island.”
The free summer program, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. through the month of June, focuses on reading and comprehension. When the children arrive, they sing the national anthem and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. After a short devotional, they spend the next two hours rotating through classes on reading, writing, grammar and art.
Andre Ray, the art tutor, had the students paint with water colors as they listened to Bach”s “Toccata and Fugue in D minor.”
“I was going to have them paint to jazz,” he told Chief St. John during a tour of the building. “”Stardust” by Louis Armstrong.”
In the writing class, students write in journals about what they”ve been reading. The tutors provide positive reinforcement by responding to children”s observations about the stories.
“It”s interesting because they begin to reveal things about their lives,” said the Rev. Sandra DePriest, who serves as the HEARTS board president. “It”s both a nurturing experience and an encouragement to them.”
When they go home, the children are encouraged to read for at least 90 minutes per day, and many of them read longer. Parents are required to sign a sheet saying how many minutes their child has read that day. The sheets are filled with 90s, 100s and even a couple of 120s.
“I think I read 100 minutes yesterday,” said Zak Denson, 6, son of Bradley and Heather Denson. “My sister read past 100.”
Kids are awarded toys and crafts depending on their performance with the curriculum.
DePriest said that the students are immersing themselves in the books they take home.
“We”re trying to get them to enjoy reading,” she said.
The trick in getting the children to want to enjoy reading, it seems, is the fact that they chose to participate. The other day, one grandfather told the ladies at the front desk that the family had taken a trip to Jackson, and his granddaughter had read all the way there and back.
“They”re beginning to connect with the characters,” DePriest said. “They come alive for them.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
