CLEVELAND — It’s OK to get a little help sometimes -- especially when it comes to reading.
Last week in our Education Station series, 3News told you about our adopted school, Harvey Rice Wraparound in Cleveland, hosting a pep rally to celebrate their participation in the Cleveland Reads program.
Cleveland Reads is a reading challenge with the goal of having the entire city collectively read one million books and/or one million minutes throughout 2023.
Members of Morning Star Baptist Church, which is down the street from Harvey Rice, are helping students at the school reach their reading goals. Volunteers from the church are at the school each week to read with the young scholars.
Joyce Houston, who has been volunteering at the school since February, says it’s important for the community to show their support for students.
“It's just good to know that people that's in the community care for our children because they are our future,” Houston says. “And I call them my little treasures, because that's what they are, they're treasures to me.”
6-year-old Harvey Rice first grader Aaliyah Sullins has warmed the heart of volunteer Charlene Weathers because of her strong will when it comes to leading during reading.
"We're here to read to them, but Aaliyah she would not have it," says Weathers. "She wants to read and she likes people to listen to her, so that's just a great thing to hear her read. "
Sullins, who wants to be a basketball player when she grows up, says she likes to read to people so they can get smarter.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN CLEVELAND READS
So far this year, 16,250 Cleveland readers have read 163,541 books. Harvey Rice contributed 186 books to that number.
In total, readers from around town have logged more than three million minutes of gaining knowledge through books.
If you live in Greater Cleveland, you are also invited to take part in the Cleveland Reads challenge. Register here.
Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published in a previous story on May 10, 2023.