Our Daemen College Athletics student-athletes usually get the chance to read books to children throughout the year. As we navigate the current COVID-19 health crisis, this activity had to be reinvented for 2020. That’s when the Education Department, athletics, and Institutional Advancement came together to develop a creative community project.
With permission from HarperCollins, Daemen College education students had the chance to join our mascot Willie Wildcat at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library – Central Library to read children’s books at the library’s exhibit, titled B is for Book. The first installment of this video series recently debuted on the college’s YouTube channel, where viewers can see student-athlete and education student Katie Titus reading, If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson.
There are many benefits to reading to children. It can help with readiness, language development, thinking skills and vocabulary. Reading to the children in your life stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world. It helps them develop language and listening skills and prepares them to understand the written word. Even after children learn to read by themselves, it’s still important for you to read aloud together. While this might not be possible as we follow social distancing guidelines, watching our videos and discussing the book afterwards can be a great way to connect and encourage a joy for reading together.
Thank you to Buffalo & Erie County Public Library – Central Library for allowing us to record these videos in their B is for Book exhibit. We hope you enjoy this project and share it with those who would like to listen to a story!