Growing a Love of Reading at Home

We are an AACPS: Community Partnership | 2019 Business Partner of the Year Nominee

Recognized for their support of AACPS by Freetown Elementary School

The Rotary Club of Lake Shore-Severna Park and Freetown Elementary are working hand in hand to support our school, students, families and community.  The club is committed to the students of Freetown Elementary by empowering them to discover their identity and potential.  This empowerment is given through the time, support and encouragement of all members of the Rotary.

The Rotary strongly believes in the connection between reading at home and student achievement. This belief has led to the opportunity for Freetown students to receive books, reading lights, and backpacks through a grant from the Rotary Club of Lake Shore-Severna Park. These gifts of reading are not just dropped off by the Rotary, rather, they are given with pride to the students and families at Freetown Elementary Reading Nights and Saturday ‘Books and Bagels.’  Rotary members eagerly help students choose books to read and develop relationships with the students through the love of reading.  During the reading nights, the Rotary provides dinner and dessert for families.  Families receive valuable informative strategies to support reading at home with their children while students participate in various fun activities.  These reading nights were in fact a three-part series (Part I- 350 in attendance, Part II-160 and Part III-160).  The nights are capped off by selections of new books to take home to read that night.

Families and staff of Freetown Elementary support this partnership.  Teachers and staff have reported that they have seen the excitement from students with their new books.  Students show teachers where they wrote their names inside of the books with pride.  Also, parents have reported how students are eager to attend the Reading Nights.  Even if parents are running in from work, they are making the effort to attend the Reading Nights at the request of their children.  Parents are happy to oblige as they enjoy the evenings as well.  The partnership with the Rotary Club gives everyone an opportunity to grow the love of reading through books and time with their families.

As the partnership with the Rotary Club of Lake Shore-Severna Park continues, the Rotary hopes to continue motivating the students, families and community of Freetown Elementary to learn and achieve now and in the future.  Freetown Elementary has been given the gift of the partnership with the Rotary Club.  This gift has allowed our students and families to grow the love of reading at home.