In our 12th year! Elementary school children throughout the valley each week eagerly await the arrival of volunteers from Coachella Valley BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools) who share the joy of books by reading aloud to them. The 50 volunteers--who are actors, retired teachers and others--introduce the wonderful world of reading and literacy to 2,246 children weekly by reading engaging picture books to the classics of children's literature. The program started in the Coachella Valley in 2007 and in January 2010 was adopted by Palm Springs Women in Film and Television as one of its projects. Dr. Carreon Academy in Indio was the first school to join the program. There are now 14 schools from one end of the valley to the other. Volunteers also read weekly at Martha's Village and in the summer appear at the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert and the Family YMCA of the Desert. Barnes & Noble in Palm Desert has invited readers to its children section and also donated books to the program in addition to Marywood-Palm Valley School. |
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