As part of the "The Reading Process," an education course at Bluefield State College, 30 students majoring in education recently participated in the "Yes! We Read Together" program, sponsored by the West Virginia State Reading Council. The program is a statewide, three-year campaign, in conjunction with the West Virginia Reading Association, dedicated to promoting lifetime readers.
Through this project, BSC students promoted literacy in a five-county region, investing approximately 300 hours' effort in work with 30 children (ages 6-12). Mitzi Litton, adjunct instructor for the course, noted, "Research has shown that a balanced reading program in which both oral and silent reading are practiced in school and out of school develops independent strategies and skills, as well as a love of reading."
"Before starting their student teaching experience, the BSC student participants were given the opportunity to understand the joys of reading to, and with, elementary age children," Litton said. The young children read stories of their own choice, then created and illustrated their own stories. Some made complete books or journals of their works. BSC education majors participating in the program included: Rebecca Bandy, Amee Barrett, Mark Beggs, Linda Britton, Michelle Carosi, Jackie Colobro, Robin Davis, Sharon Davis, Heather Farley, Mellissa Ferrell, Mona Finney, Christy Gleason, James Gray, Brandice Hatfield, Donna Henkel, Mark Jenkins, Ollena Keene, Samantha Keene, Barbara Lane, Charla Maynard, Jody Neal, Mary Rice, Kacey Rohrer, Beki Sharpe, Edwin Stress, Ellen Williams, Shonda Wilson, Kristin Winfrey, and Melissa Wolfe.