School may be out for the summer, but our children’s services team remains hard at work!

WHRO Early Childhood Coordinator, Martha Razor, and Education Assistant, Rosalie Rodriguez, are taking part in summer camps and community events throughout Hampton Roads to promote reading and literacy skills to elementary aged children and their parents.

During the months of June, July and August, Razor and Rodriguez are working with the City of Norfolk’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Open Space to bring WHRO’s Raising Readers Van to summer camps at Bayview Recreation Center, Captain’s Quarters Recreation Center and East Ocean View Community Center.  “Our van visits include educational games, activities and distributing books and materials for children to take home,” Razor explained.

In addition, the team is helping host two week-long Super Why Reading Camps at the Little Creek-Fort Story Child Development Centers and Children’s Harbor of Portsmouth.  Super Why Camps show 4- and 5-year olds the power of reading and motivate them to play with letters, sounds and words through a comprehensive curriculum developed by literacy experts.

They’re also conducting van visits and outreach activities at a number of community events including the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia’s Mobile Pantry sites in Portsmouth; a Breakfast with Super Why at Whole Foods Market in Virginia Beach; and the launch of the Space Racers exhibit at the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton.

Recent studies show that students can lose one to three months of learning after coming back to school from a long summer vacation.  “We believe that promoting literacy is important all year round, but it’s essential during the summer when ‘brain drain’ can set in for students,” said Rodriguez.  “We’re doing everything we can to keep kids reading and learning all summer long.”

To learn more about WHRO Education's children's services, check out the Raising Readers Van and Reading Camps pages on our website.