July 20th, 2010
July proclaimed Early Literacy Month in San Marcos

Front, left to right: Rosina Valle, Michelle Pope, Diane Insley, Margaret Lindsey, Mayor Pro Tem Kim Porterfield. Back, left to right: San Marcos Mayor Susan Narvaiz, Phyllis Snodgrass, Randolph Goodman, Frederick Rucker, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Fred Terry, Danny Gonzales.  Photo by Don Anders.

STAFF REPORT

July was proclaimed “Early Literacy Month” by the City of San Marcos in recognition and support of the organizations that have initiated a book drive to collect books for 1,700 area children. The “Success by Six” program seeks to promote early literacy for local children.

Seeking Opportunities, Achieving Results (SOAR) and the United Way of Hays County have 17 locations around the city with collection barrels for the donation of English and Spanish books appropriate for children aged one to six years old. Books will be distributed through the Hays County Head Start, WIC, and ECI programs in San Marcos.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 68 percent of low-income fourth graders cannot read or write at the proficient level. There is a 90 percent chance that a poor reader at the end of first grade will be a poor reader a the end of fourth grade. A majority of reading problems can be prevented in preschool and before by allowing children access to a variety of books and reading.

SOAR is a collaborative effort of Texas State, the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce, San Marcos CISD, San Marcos Education Foundation, the City of San Marcos, the San Marcos Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Austin Community College, Gary Job Corps,  San Marcos Baptist Academy and the United Way of Hays County.