City achieves national status with reading program

Date: 5/18/2010

May 19, 2010.

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD -- The City of Homes is now the City of Reach Out and Read.

Springfield was noted last week as the largest city in the nation where every pediatric practice is part of the literacy program. Mayor Domenic Sarno received the organization's "Bookend Award" as recognition.

According to information supplied by the program, Reach Out and Read recruits doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners to distribute age-appropriate books to families during regular medical visits. The 253 Reach Out and Read programs in Massachusetts have distributed more than 330,000 books to 181,000 infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

There are now 19 practices in Springfield with the program and Dr. Nancy Miller, a pediatrician at Baystate Children's Hospital and the local organizer for the program, explained the books given to families do much more than help raise the literacy levels of children -- it also increases the bonding between the parents and their children. The 19 practices received certificates of thanks for participating.

Miller noted Springfield is not only the home of famed children's author Dr. Seuss, but also the home of James Trelease, whose "Read Aloud Handbook" brought greater attention to the importance of families reading together.

One of the participating pediatricians, Dr. Naomi London, said families have been "pretty receptive" to the program. She added some parents have admitted they have low literacy skills themselves and reading these books to or with their children have improved their skills.

Although the program is supposed to stop at age five, London said at her practice they have been extending it to encourage greater reading skills through the teen years.

"It can help the whole family," she said.

"As much as the young people get out of it, I know the parents get a lot out of it as well," Sarno said.