SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — If you visit the New Children’s Museum downtown, you’ll find dozens of self-portraits carefully crafted by students across San Diego.
“The project invited students to think about who they are and who they want to become,” said Brian Fidler, a volunteer with Words Alive.
Words Alive is a non-profit aiming to improve literacy by making reading fun, engaging and accessible for students countywide.
The new exhibit at the museum features these portraits drawn by students inspired by thoughtful discussions with volunteers from Words Alive after reading books together.
The hope is to get students excited about reading — and in turn — setting them up for success.
“It’s how we succeed in school, it’s how we succeed in our careers, it’s how we take care of our families,” explained Rachael Orose, Executive Director, Words Alive.
The non-profit estimates that half of the students in San Diego county are not reading at the expected grade level.
“That is a problem,” said Melinda Cooper, Program Director, Words Alive. Cooper explains the literacy crisis has been exacerbated by the pandemic as families struggle with unemployment, food insecurity and inflation.
“If families are having a hard time meeting their own basic needs, it’s going to be extremely difficult for them to have engaging, enjoyable experiences around learning and reading,” said Cooper.
Cooper says many students today are at a higher risk of depression or anxiety. They hope to help combat those issues through open conversations and creativity.
“Any way that they can find to communicate their feelings about themselves or the world in a way that is creative and inspiring and authentic is what we strive to do,” said Cooper.
Words Alive added they are always in need of volunteers. For more info on how you can get involved CLICK HERE.
