Archive: Around Town

Most are familiar with the banners adorning Tompkins County buildings compelling us to “Read to me, anytime, anyplace.” They are the tip of the iceberg of family literacy-based programming the Family Reading Partnership infused into the community over the last decade or so.

The Family Reading Partnership’s mission is ‘to create a culture of literacy'. It grows with the support of a generous membership and donors who believe in that mission.

The Family Reading Partnership is creating this culture of literacy by placing books in the sight line of children. It moves literacy into the places where families go: the doctor’s office, the grocery store, places of worship, the gym, the school and most importantly the home.

Of the various conclusions drawn by early childhood literacy research, one thing is clear. A child who is read to, even prenatally, begins school with far more skills and desire to learn to read than the child without the same experience. Award winning children’s author Emile Buchwald put it best, “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”

Literacy is more than the ability to read. It is more than achievement.  Literacy is health. Discovering stories with a beginning and end, with characters coming to life is a standard that can be met for a lifetime. A story is a natural experience. For instance, Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik spent a career studying how the brain processes the concept of suspense. Her widely accepted conclusion is that the brain involuntarily recalls facts related to incomplete tasks more accurately than it recalls those associated with completed tasks. The brain involuntarily makes sense of scenarios as they are presented. Translation; I don’t know what is going to happen and I love it! For a child this natural phenomenon is best nurtured with a good book and the comfort of a parent’s voice.


Leadership expert Ken Blanchard often says, “it always begins with a leader.” For the Family Reading Partnership that leader is Brigid Hubberman. She tirelessly brought the community together to grow this initiative. She does so locally and is sought nationally to consult in replicating community based reading partnerships.

In Lansing another leader recently stepped up to ensure the mission of the Family Reading Partnership is fully fulfilled. Karen McGreevey, parent of three young children, is setting course to enhance literacy programming for Lansing families and children. She has organized meetings of various stakeholders from the Lansing Central School District, the Lansing Community Library, the Robin’s Nest Christian Preschool, the Lansing Food Pantry, Head Start, the Lansing Drop-in Center, Cornell’s Public Service Center, and the PTSO.  Each responded with generosity of time, talent and opportunities to share children's books and a love of family reading. She involved Brigid Hubberman, Lisa Berry and Katrina Morse from the Family Reading Partnership as collaborators on programming that will increase literacy based experiences for the youngest of Lansing residents. In conjunction with the Family Reading Partnership, Karen has inspired a new initiative, “Read to Me, Lansing!” that will help Lansing stakeholders join forces around and focus on this important mission. It will also prove to be a model to other outlying communities in Tompkins County to join together to tap into the power of reading to kids.

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