CINCINNATI, OH – Santa Maria Community Services, Inc. is pleased to announce that it received a $15,000 grant from Scripps Howard Foundation for its Promoting Our Preschoolers (POP) program.
“We are thankful for Scripps Howard Foundation for providing funding for this program. Funds from this grant will be used to enrich the POP program by adding literacy and reading components to the program during summer,” said H.A. Musser, Jr., President and CEO of Santa Maria Community Services.
Santa Maria will offer summer reading camp groups twice a week in July to the POP graduating children. This program is in partnership with University of Cincinnati Speech and Pathology Department (UCSPD) and the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The focus will be on phonological awareness, common sight words, and educating parents on the importance of home literacy.
UCSPD Master Program students will offer twice weekly literacy camps in person and an alternate Zoom option with language-based lessons. Simultaneously to children’s group sessions, students will hold parent groups where they will discuss literacy and language topics. A similar reading camp will be held for existing and new POP enrollees in the fall and existing enrollees in the winter.
Additionally, during the camps, children will participate in story time circles at the library and tour the newly renovated Price Hill branch library. Parents will receive gift cards as incentives for their children’s participation in book camps.
CONTACT:
Christy Cauley
Santa Maria Community Services
Christy.Cauley@santamaria-cincy.org
(513) 557-7297