Kids First!, a Virgin Islands-based non-profit, which supports education on St. John, has announced a grant of $1,500 to Guy Benjamin School to support an innovative reading program using Kindle E-Book readers. Age appropriate books will be downloaded into four Kindles that will be used by 4th through 6th grade students. Online instruction materials linked to downloaded books will be used by teachers and students to develop their understanding of the materials being read. Classroom curriculum, including tests, will also support instruction.
Kindle E-books support reading instruction in several ways. First, there are over 30,000 children’s books available online that can be reviewed and purchased in a matter of minutes at a cost up to 80 percent less than a bound book. They never wear out and can be shared among students. Children like the cool factor of buying and reading books online, and they can also download magazines, newspapers and other reading materials from all over the world in a matter of minutes.
Bruce Claflin, president of Kids First!, said “We applaud the creativity of the Guy Benjamin staff for developing this proposal and expect it will promote reading and comprehension. Further, as positive results are achieved, we hope to use this success as a model for use throughout the Virgin Islands schools.”
Dionne Wells, principal of Guy Benjamin School said “We appreciate the support Kids First! has provided to launch this new program. Reading is an essential skill that must be mastered in the early years to support learning in higher grades and beyond. Kids First! recognizes this and has generously supported reading programs at Guy Benjamin School over the past few years.”
To learn more about Kids First!, go to www.kidsfirststj.org.