U Northwest nursing students Kim Bishop (in white coat)and Dawn Hawkins put red noses on children before they are read aloud to at the Take Time Out for Reading event at the IU Northwest Child Care Center Sept. 8.

Celebrating International Reading Day was something Karen Grabske, director of the Child Care Center, deemed important. Earlier in the week, she invited the chancellor to visit the center and read to the children. Out of town for the day, he sent a representative who also wore her plastic red nose.

"We wanted to participate today to point out to parents and children the importance of reading and how we can all have fun, enjoying while we are learning," Grabske said.

Professors in two freshmen-level reading classes also took time from their scheduled curriculum to read to students. Barbara Steep and Jewell James read portions of books aloud to students, then each encouraged students to read aloud to their classmates.

The IU Northwest Child Care Center offers three classrooms specifically designed for children 3 to 12 years of age. With a staff trained and experienced in child care, the center offers developmentally appropriate educational activities and games.

It is also home to the Early Literacy Academy, which is designed to raise awareness of the value of early intervention and provide programs and resources to parents and children from birth to six years of age. The academy is the research and service project of the IU Northwest's Shared Vision mission statement and offers literacy education, materials and workshops to local parents and caregivers to enrich family efforts and prepare children for the opportunities that reading may bring.

The Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition and Hammond Reads co-sponsored the Take Time Out for Reading event.

http://www.nwliteracy.org