CSUDH Celebrates Early Literacy with Read for the Record

A rapt audience of preschoolers gathered around CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham on Oct. 24 as he read Piper Chen Sings, a children's book about self-expression, confidence, and the power of family support. The special reading event, held at the Child Development Center (CDC), was in celebration of Jumpstart's Read for the Record Day-the world's largest shared reading experience.

Read for the Record invites thousands of schools, child care centers, and libraries to read the same book on the same day, and distributes copies to every child in attendance. The annual initiative's goal is to raise awareness of the importance of early literacy and provide access to inclusive, high-quality books.

"Fostering a love of reading in young children not only supports their language development, but also nurtures their emotional growth and intellectual curiosity," Parham said. "At CSUDH, we understand how critical early education is to a child's long-term success.

"Our CDC plays an integral role in advancing our broader objectives of community engagement and educational equity."

The CDC, run by Associated Students, Inc. (ASI), is an affordable and accessible child care provider for CSUDH student-parents and employees. Offering innovative programs, the CDC has long partnered with Jumpstart, a national education organization that trains college students to work with preschool children.

"Through our partnership with Jumpstart, interns are given hands-on experience working with children and are mentored by experienced child development teachers," said CDC Program Director Candace Manansala.

"The children benefit from having additional support in the classroom, as well as exposure to diverse perspectives and teaching styles that are key factors that support the individual needs of each child and teacher."