TOLEDO, Ohio-At the downtown Toledo Library, the Read for Literacy and Clair’s Day programs provide free reading assistance to individuals of all ages. Executive Director Diana Bush noted that around 40,000 adults in Northwest Ohio read below a fourth-grade level, impacting their children’s literacy as well. The pandemic has worsened early literacy skills, especially in the Toledo Public Schools, which ranked low in the recent state report card. The Creating Young Readers program focuses on helping kindergarten and first graders through one-on-one tutoring, emphasizing the need for more community volunteers to enhance student support. Longtime volunteer Jan Whitaker highlighted the fulfillment of helping children read, while Bush stressed the importance of individual attention, noting that many kindergartners are unprepared for school.
