Greater Sacramento Urban League Young Professionals

Press Releases

Greater Sacramento Urban League Holds Reading Day Event to Celebrate Literacy

Sacramento, January 27, 2013 -- The Greater Sacramento Urban League (GSUL) and the Greater Sacramento Urban Leage Young Professionals Auxilary (GSULYP) are holding a Reading Day event to celebrate literacy in the inner city. With literacy rates among inner city youth far below national standards, GSUL and GSULYP are holding a day of fun-filled activities to encourage reading as a fun activity while demonstrating that it is a necessary tool for success. Reading Day will launch with a free pancake breakfast for children followed by a group reading session and conclude with a series of plays based on classic children’s stories like Little Red Riding Hood and Three Little Pigs.

GSULYP President Danielle Williams believes that community events like Reading Day are great way to build excitement behind reading. “Literacy rates in the inner city have fallen below national standards for some time,” she said. “We really want this event will build excitement for reading and show kids that reading can be just as much fun as play.”

GSUL President David De Luz is also scheduled to be at the event where he will kick-off the day with an opening presentation.

Who:               GSUL and GSULYP
What:              Reading Day
When:             Saturday, March 2, 2013
Where:            Roberts Family Development Center 

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Reading Day Event to Celebrate Literacy with Inner City Youth a Major Success!

Sacramento, March 4, 2013 -- The Greater Sacramento Urban League (GSUL) and the Greater Sacramento Urban League Young Professionals Affiliate (GSULYP) held a very successful Reading Day event over the weekend to demonstrate the importance of reading to inner city youth. Nearly 50 children attended Reading Day at the Roberts Family Development Center in North Sacramento where the event was very well received. The goal for the day – to build excitement for reading! This past Saturday also marked the 109th anniversary of author Theodor Geisel’s birth, better known by his pen name, Dr. Suess. To celebrate, GSUL and GSULYP decorated the facility with Dr. Suess centerpieces, balloons, and trivia cards. Participants were treated to a free pancake breakfast, which was followed by a day full of activities, including a group reading session and the opportunity to write their own stories. The children also had the opportunity to demonstrate their acting skills by participating in a series of short plays based on children’s classics with moral implications, like Three Little Pigs and The Boy Who Cried Wolf to the delight of their parents.

Tarra Gear brought her children to the event because she was looking for a way to get them interested in reading. “It was wonderful,” she said. “My kids really enjoyed it! They were more happy to read today! I’ve been trying to find ways to get them more interested in reading. It was excellent.”

GSUL President David De Luz was also present to express the importance of reading and admitted that he once struggled with reading as a child.

“When I was in the 2nd grade, I was two grade levels behind in my reading skills,” he said. “I started reading books three times a week, and in six months I was reading at the 7th grade level. If I can do it, so can you!”

All the children received a certificate for participating in Reading Day and took a pledge to read three books every week.  The event was such a success, GSUL and GSULYP organizers plan to host another Reading Day event in the next few of months.

Reading Day was put on with the help the Robert Family Development Center, University Arts and Utrecht Arts. University Arts and Utrecht donated arts and crafts supplies to the event.  

Literacy rates among inner city youth are far below national standards. According to Sacramento Reads, only 37% of local 3rd graders are proficient in reading. Research also shows that 74% of students who are behind on reading will never catch up.