Reedsburg community makes early literacy a priority

From left to right: Jess McCarlson (Youth Services Librarian, Reedsburg Public Library ), Carey Cracker (Marketing & Volunteer Services Associate, Reedsburg Area Medical Center), Jana Burg (Volunteer, Reedsburg Area Medical Center), Joanna Laukant, MD (Reedsburg Area Medical Center)

Kris Houtler attended a Wisconsin Library Association conference in 2012. It was there that she heard Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD, present on Reach Out and Read. Houtler, then an assistant librarian at Reedsburg Public Library, was instantly inspired.

“I knew at that moment I needed to bring Reach Out and Read to Reedsburg, but I could not do it alone,” said Houtler.

Once back from the conference she connected with Joanna Laukant, MD, family practice physician at Reedsburg Area Medical Center (RAMC), the RAMC Marketing Department, and Heidi Feller, a community activist for literacy and children.

With everyone committed to bringing ROR to Reedsburg, the committee started the process to obtain the funding needed to purchase the first year of books, which is a requirement to become a Reach Out and Read site.

“We presented to several civic organizations in the community that pledged contributions to make it happen,” said Houtler. “Since then, the RAMC Foundation has covered the costs to keep ROR a part of the Reedsburg community.”

It took two years after the fateful WLA conference to implement Reach Out and Read at Reedsburg and on November 1, 2014, it became an official ROR site.

Since implementing ROR, Reedsburg Area Medical Center has provided more than 15,000 books at well-child visits of children 6 months to five years old. In 2022, it had 1,866 well-child visits and prescribed 1,700 books.

Books ready to be prescribed to children at Reedsburg Area Medical Center

Reach Out and Read, the only pediatric literacy model endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, has benefits in both early literacy and early relational health. Families that are part of a ROR site are 2.5 times more likely to read together, children have accelerated language development, improved social and emotional development, and much more.

“I am an advocate of it because it is so obvious that reading with kids is important to not only their learning how to read but also their social development and even their fine motor skills,” said Laukant. “It is just so important.”

Laukant continues to be grateful for the long-standing partnerships with the Reedsburg Public Library and the Reedsburg Area Medical Center Foundation.

“It is nice to have the librarian choose the books,” said Laukant. “Some of the books are old classics that I recognize from many, many years ago, and some are newer ones that I am not even up on, but kids recognize them when you give it to them. It’s nice to have someone who is up to date on that.

“It’s great that the RAMC Foundation supports Reach Out and Read and is completely onboard with how important reading is.”

Jess McCarlson is now the youth services librarian at RPL and took over the ROR book ordering duties from Houtler when she retired.

“It is kind of fun as a librarian in having the edge, knowing the quality of books that are out there and getting to order those,” said McCarlson.

She also enjoys that the collaboration extends the library’s mission.

“There are people at RAMC that reach the lives of children and their families that don’t know the library exists,” said McCarlson. “Knowing that, and it being a goal of mine both personally and professionally to improve the lives of children through literature, the partnership means a lot to me.”

The Reedsburg community is truly working to build a world where every child is read to every day.

About Reach Out and Read: Reach Out and Read is 501(c)3 nonprofit that gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together. As the only evidence-based national pediatric model focused on emotional connections endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read serves children in all 50 of the United States through 6,000 clinics and 33,000 clinicians. With 281 participating sites in medical clinics across Wisconsin, Reach Out and Read provides more than 170,000 children and families in 56 counties with books and resources to empower parents as their child’s first and best teacher. For more information, visit reachoutandread.org.

DeDe Williams named executive director

DeDe Williams was named executive director in May 2023.

Following a statewide search, Reach Out and Read has named Azure’De (DeDe) Williams the next executive director for its Wisconsin affiliate.

Williams began her tenure on May 30, following the retirement of Karin Mahony.

Williams received a Bachelor of Science degree in behavioral science & law and a criminal justice certificate from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Williams has more than 25 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector identifying two areas she felt most impacted quality of life: health and education. Williams has used her skills in program development, civic engagement, and program evaluation to support efforts in addressing health disparities and achievement gaps. 

Under her leadership at the American Heart Association, she received several awards including the Cass Wheeler Integration Team Award for her leadership on health equity initiatives and improving hospital care and outcomes for minority and underserved populations. Williams developed systematic plans to increase referrals, improve access to treatment, and leverage better data sharing to improve hypertension outcomes. Williams’ involvement with the ASTHO Million Hearts via partnerships with public and private stakeholders to implement “Creating Community Clinical Linkages to Reduce Disparities in Hypertension Identification and Control” resulted in the delivery of core AHA messaging and services to 200,000 constituents in 2016.

More recently, Williams received the 2021 Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) President’s Award for her exemplary community-engaged work with MCW and partners during her tenure as executive director for the Milwaukee Area Health Education Center. By energetically translating mission and goals into operating plans with clear benchmarks and annual objectives, she successfully restructured the 30-year-old organization to align with contemporary market and educational needs of future health workforce projections.

Williams is ardent about community service. She loves to spend time teaching young athletes the fundamentals of basketball and teamwork, and has four children – ages 20, 16, 14 and 10 – who are often seen accompanying her on volunteer-related and community service projects. In her spare time, Williams enjoys filling up the pages of her passport.

Providing Diverse and Inclusive Books at Reach Out and Read Clinics

stack of books

This year, Reach Out and Read Wisconsin is placing a renewed focus on the importance of representation, diversity, and inclusion in the books clinics order for their well-child visits. To accomplish this goal, we are working on many levels:

  • Serving on the Reach Out and Read National Center book committee to voice our desire to increase the options for more affordable, diverse books for clinics to order
  • Providing book recommendations in our bi-weekly newsletter that celebrate and create diverse readers
  • Fundraising for the Windows and Mirrors initiative
  • Sharing resources like the Diverse and Inclusive book list from Reach Out and Read and the American Academy of Pediatrics
  • Ongoing conversations at Reach Out and Read Wisconsin site visits about the importance of  ordering a variety of books even if your primary patient population is English speaking and White.

Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin has already taken this mission to heart and is providing diverse books to all families served at it’s six Madison-area clinics. Recently, one of their providers, Megan Gendel, NP, and system’s Reach Out and Read coordinator shared why ordering diverse books was important to them, even though most of the population they serve is predominantly White and English speaking.

“As a provider here, I really feel it’s important for us to make sure we have diversity in books, actually even more important in some respects so our families and our children that we serve are seeing different aspects of life through literature,” said Gendel.

They also shared some tips for ordering diverse books:

  • The clinic coordinator may not always know the families being seen in the clinic. Ask the providers about the family dynamics. For instance, ordering books that show kids being raised by grandparents, stepparents, single parents, gay and lesbian parents, are refugees or are part of mixed-race families.
  • Share bilingual books with English speaking families as well. Celebrate the joy of other cultures.
  • Be mindful of gender stereotypes when ordering books. Some favorite classics (and even some new books) may not best reflect current trends.

The full webinar can be accessed here.

Books are a wonderful tool that allow kids to see themselves in the story while also providing opportunities to learn about others and their experiences. We believe all kids should be represented in books and have the opportunity to learn empathy and kindness for others via the books clinics provide.

Airport Story Dispenser Helps a Love of Reading Take Flight – A Guest Post from Dane County Regional Airport

We admit it. Of the more than two million travelers we serve every year at the Dane County Regional Airport, children are our favorites. Their awe of the giant aircraft and wonder at soaring high into the sky remind us of all the things we love about flying.

Yet kids can also be fearful or fractious – posing a challenge to parents who are faced with a restless child. This is where the Short Story Dispenser comes in.

On their way down the concourse, families can now visit a sleek kiosk, press a button and order up a bite-sized morsel of free literary family entertainment. Travelers can choose from a 1-minute, 3-minute or children’s short story – from iconic fairy tales to contemporary writers who’ve submitted their stories online. The Short Story Dispenser prints each story on an eco-friendly scroll that requires no ink or cartridge, ready for reading. Near the kiosk are story books that kids and families of all ages can enjoy together as well.

Reach Out and Read Wisconsin’s medial director, Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, was on hand for the unveiling of the Short Story Dispenser in October 2019. Since installing the Dispenser we’ve noticed more parents and children reading a story together. Toddlers are lifted onto moms’ laps, tweens lean in to read over dads’ shoulders and whole families laugh aloud together. But the thing we love most is hearing a child’s voice pleading, “Can we read another one?”

Reach Out and Read Wisconsin medical director, Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD attends the opening ceremony for Dane County Regional Airport’s Short Story Dispenser

Family Medicine Clinic Adopts a Program for the Books

This article originally appeared in the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants’ April 2019 newsletter and is reprinted with permission from the organization.

Clinically-practicing certified physician assistant Joanna Hebgen is doing her part to change the lives of children through a simple-yet-effective method: books. 

At the SSM Health Family Medicine Clinic in Oregon, Wisconsin, Hebgen implemented the Reach Out and Read program, which strives to incorporate books into the daily lives of children and encourages families to read aloud together. 

Staff members including Physician Assistant of SSM Health Oregon clinic at Wellness Expo showcasing their Reach Out and Read program
SSM Health Dean Medical Group Oregon staff at the Oregon Wellness Expo

The clinic has distributed more than 450 children’s books and created a literacy-friendly waiting area and exam rooms. By adding books and comfy, child-size chairs, children can relax and read before their appointments. 

During wellness visits, providers give each child a book they can take home. Upon presenting the book, providers can observe the child’s and parent’s reactions, which offers insight about the child’s development and the parent’s comfort with reading to the child.  It also paves the way for discussion about the importance of daily reading. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), benefits from reading can begin as early as infancy. Kids who are read to regularly have a stronger bond with their parents and learn valuable language and literacy skills. Reading also improves their social, vocabulary, and writing skills, and it can make kids kinder and more empathetic individuals as they grow.

“I love giving out books that I read as a child and also read to my children,” said Joanna Bisgrove, MD. “Parents and kids love the books. I find that the book is a good way to calm a child during an appointment and build rapport with both the children and parents.”

The clinic’s interprofessional staff all contributed to the program’s success, dedicating an estimated 40 hours to the project last year. Three staff members attended the annual Reach Out and Read conference to share experiences with others implementing the program. 

Additionally, the clinic participated in the Oregon Wellness Expo, a free event for families to visit local wellness vendors. Clinic volunteers distributed free books to kids and network within their community.

Due to the program’s overwhelming success, SSM Health plans to make the Reach Out and Read program available at their 25 family medicine and pediatrics clinics in Wisconsin; and funding for the books will be included in the annual budget.

“’Reach Out and Read makes appointments fun.” said Bisgrove.

This project was funded in-part by the NCCPA Health Foundation’s Be the CHANGE grant. Learn more about the Foundation’s grant programs here.

young boys read books aloud together

Reading programs are really about supporting strong parent-child bonds

This article was originally published by the Cap Times on April 23, 2018.

Toddler at well-child visits at doctor's office receiving a book from her provider. Reading programs often are supporting of parents and children.
PHOTO BY COBURN DUKEHART — WISCONSIN CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM

Recently, I encountered a new-to-Wisconsin mother and toddler who had left behind a not-so-good environment. As we established trust with one another, it came out that she was concerned about her child’s mild speech delay. The upheaval in their lives meant they hadn’t been able to find a primary care clinic and schedule his regular checkups yet. What could I do that might offer some immediate benefit for them?

As many know, I do a lot of work around early literacy promotion. In the last few weeks, there have been two relevant, notable studies released in this field. The first article is a meta-analysis — a combining of several studies together — showing interventions in parent-child shared reading have clear benefits, not just to the child’s language and literacy skills (we’ve known this for some time), but also psychosocially. There were better social and emotional skills and improved behavior in the children. Less expected was the benefit to parents, who had less stress, less anxiety, and greater confidence in their ability to parent.

The second study was on the Video Interaction Project (created by an NYU friend and colleague, Dr. Alan Mendelsohn). It uses video recording of a parent playing and reading with their child, followed by watching the recording together with a parenting coach who points out notable moments in the interaction. The researchers found decreases in child aggression, hyperactivity, and difficulty with attention.

These both support the value of working on early literacy skills, the foundation of the almost-30-year-old Reach Out and Read program, which makes discussion about early literacy an integral and routine part of checkups in early childhood. (Note: I am the founding medical director of Reach Out and Read Wisconsin, and serve on the national board.)

However, I’d like to point out that these studies emphasize a critical element that’s not always present in the countless literacy programs out there. While you may view Reach Out and Read as a child literacy program, it’s really secretly a parenting program: a program designed to gently and collaboratively support strong shared reading between a parent and a child.

I don’t object to programs that bring high-quality books into a child’s home, but that emphasis is often misplaced; the book itself does little if handed to a child without any other interaction. A child learns the magic and power of reading only when a loving, nurturing, responsive caregiver (usually a parent, but could be anyone) reads aloud with them. A book that sits on the shelf is useless — it only does its magic when open in the hands of a parent and child reading together.

Equally important is a parent who knows how to read effectively to a young, squirmy toddler, a technique known as dialogic reading. Simply reading at a child doesn’t work for a child with a naturally short attention span. Knowing how to read with them and interact is an important learned skill. Merely providing books accomplishes only part of the job — supporting parenting confidence is absolutely essential.

It’s not just about the books. It’s about the act of reading together. A book without a caring adult…is just a book.

The key point: Parents benefit most when we offer clear modeling, coaching and encouragement. It’s not enough to say what to do; careful intentional skill-building is crucial for success. This explains the incredible outcomes seen from high-quality home visiting programs, for example. So question projects and recognize that they are not all the same. Ask yourself if they merely provide resources or whether they are building capabilities or capacities in families

So what of the family I encountered? I took the board book we had given him and pointed out her child’s brief interactions with the book. Then I modeled talking about illustrations and I reassured her that his turning away quickly was just his normal short attention span. Finally, I complimented her on her good parenting when she described how he would bring a book to her and “ask” to be read to.

She beamed with pride. And that’s how I knew we were doing right by her.

Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD is the medical director of Reach Out and Read Wisconsin
Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD is the medical director of Reach Out and Read Wisconsin

Book’em now or book’em later

I really don’t know what possessed me to become an Appleton police officer after graduating from UW-Madison with a degree in sociology. Little did I know when I retrieved the police officer job posting from the garbage can and applied for the position, my life would forever change. Thus began my 11 year odyssey in law enforcement. My first seven years were spent as a patrol officer. I then decided to specialize in juvenile law and sensitive crimes. The last three years of my career were spent in a local Division 1 high school where even a seasoned officer got an eye-full of serious teen problems. There were the regular thefts, fights and car accidents in the school parking lot; but, who would have guessed the amount of truancy, illegal drugs, teen pregnancy, suicide attempts and more that I frequently encountered.  

The power of reading first-hand

Mom reading to her two sons, librarian
Me reading to my boys, Nicholas and Steven

By the time I had one little boy and another on the way, I made the decision to leave law enforcement to stay home with my boys. My boys are in college now and I miss having their fat cheeks to kiss.

My favorite thing to do with my boys was to read to them. We all loved it. I would bring armfuls of picture books home from the library. One of my boys would sit for long periods of time focused on our books. The other was busy with toys as he listened, but he did listen. After everything I had seen as a police officer, I knew my boys were lucky. Some of you might be thinking, “Well, that’s what mom’s do. What’s the big deal?” 

Older brother reading to his younger brother, librarian
Nicholas, reading to his younger brother, Steven

To be perfectly honest, I thought I was just doing what comes naturally. I was wrong. Adults don’t just naturally “know” their relationships with their children, and shared activities like  talking, singing, reading, writing (scribbling qualifies) and playing are so critical to everything in life that comes after. Parents learn how to do this, by observation and learning at some point in their own life. But not all parents have had this behavior modeled for them. It would be great if every child in the world grew up in this type of environment. It would be ideal if parents themselves had these secure, healthy experiences during childhood so they were confident in their abilities to read aloud and felt empowered as their child’s first teacher.

When I look back, everything in my life led me to become a children’s librarian. Many people chuckle, scratch their head and ask, “Why would you do that?” or “That’s kind of a radical career change, isn’t it?” I smile and occasionally tell people that it makes perfect sense to me. I am now in the business of crime prevention. I became a librarian for many reasons, but that is one of the outcomes of my work now.

I have always loved young people and wanted to make a difference in their lives. I want to help them stay on the path to happy, healthy and productive lives. Of course, the factors that lead people down different life paths are varied and complicated. I was never under the illusion that I would save the world after I earned my master’s degree in Library and Information Science, but I hope I can contribute and make a difference.

The evidence is clear. Reading to children helps them develop print awareness, vocabulary and letter identification as well as letter sound recognitions. It also helps children learn to tell stories from beginning to end. These skills are all necessary before reading can begin. Unfortunately, the achievement gap starts early. Love of reading must be learned at an early age and failure to instill a love of reading can impair long-term interest in learning. Over half of all parents don’t read to their children every night. The percentage gets higher for families living in poverty.

Reading difficulty contributes to school failure, truancy, school dropout, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy. Here are some staggering figures:  

  • Seventy percent of all incarcerated adults cannot read at a 4th grade level
  • Eighty-five percent of children in the juvenile court system are functioning at a low literacy level
  • The cost of incarceration in the United States is estimated to be between 80 billion and one trillion dollars each year

However, every $1.00 we invest in quality early childhood programs, society gets back $4 – $9. Even if you look at the situation from a purely economic standpoint, investment in quality early learning programs makes sense. Through programs like Reach Out and Read (ROR) we can provide children in our communities with an evidence-based and scalable program that helps start children off on the right track in life.

The wonderful thing about ROR is that it reaches so many families with small children. Who do you think is best equipped to influence parents’ child rearing practices….a librarian, a teacher or a physician? I think we all know the answer to that. When doctors talk, we listen. Here in the Fox Cities, the United Way, public libraries and area health systems are all pulling together to expand ROR throughout the region. Our goal is to have all potential well-child visit sites in the Fox Cities implementing ROR by the end of 2018. It’s spreading fast. I think we’ll reach our goal.

Please give all children a fair chance in life and support quality early childhood education programs like Reach Out and Read.

How to support literacy in Wisconsin

Whether you choose to support a literacy organization or donate your gently-used books, there are plenty of opportunities to promote literacy and a love of reading to last a lifetime. Check out this list for ideas to get involved in Wisconsin.

Volunteer:

  • Adult literacy: Use Wisconsin Literacy’s map to contact a program near you and become an adult literacy tutor. Tutors are needed to assist adult basic education learners, GED preparation and English language learners.

Wisconsin Literacy's regional map
Wisconsin Literacy’s regional map

 

  • Early literacy: This list can help you find a Reach Out and Read program in your county. Contact your local clinic and ask what volunteer opportunities are available.  

Volunteers can assist clinic staff with:

  • Book ordering, sorting and labeling
  • Hosting a fundraising event in your community to raise money for the clinic’s new book purchases for well-child visits ages 6 months to 5 years
  • Organizing a book drive to collect gently-used books appropriate for any age
    • Our book guidelines provide helpful tips about which types of books are acceptable
    • Collaborate with schools, churches, community groups and workplaces
  • Help create a literacy-rich environment by donating:
    • New bookcases or child-sized furniture (benches, tables, chairs)
    • A story time rug
    • Children’s or parenting magazines
    • Bulletin boards or other displays
  • Become a volunteer reader
    • Keep in mind not all clinics can accommodate volunteer readers and there may be an extensive volunteer screening process

 

  • Offer to read aloud at your child’s school or at the local library. Not only will you get to spend more quality time with them but you will also help their peers succeed too.

    Kids in library setting with books
    Volunteer with kids and help them learn important literacy skills

    Advocate for literacy:

  • Even though it may not be an election year, contacting your state and federal representative to talk about the importance of literacy is always relevant.
    • To find your representative, enter your address using this tool
    • For data specific to your county or region contact our office

Donate:

  • Looking to declutter? Give your much loved gently-used books to a friend, a child or a Little Free Library

Little Free Library near Milwaukee, WI
Little Free Library

  • If you live near Madison, WI the Madison Reading Project accepts book donations for children and teens. They share these books with non-profits, social workers, schools and shelters.

Do you support literacy in other ways? Comment below with your ideas.