March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
March is Reading Month is celebrated nationally each year. A variety of activities and initiatives are developed and implemented nationally to encourage, support and increase reading. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health celebrated this occasion in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation by engaging and reading with youth in our rural U.P. region.
Why Celebrate?
March is Reading Month has been a month-long celebration promoting the importance of reading with learners and their families. Reading plays a crucial role in our lives, stimulating our imagination, expanding our knowledge of the world and each other, and helping us to develop language skills. Reading is also associated with early childhood learning and development, as it helps children to learn sounds, words, and language, expand literacy skills, and develop the ability to focus, concentrate, socialize, and communicate. Reading also has long-lasting health benefits for individuals of all ages, including increased cognitive function, memory, empathy, and decreased levels of stress.
2024 Project
March is Reading Month was celebrated by the Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health by engaging NMU students currently enrolled in the pre-dental and pre-medical academic tracks at Northern Michigan University. Together, they joined forces to read and engage with second grade youth in an effort to increase awareness and education about proper oral hygiene.
The annual project was sponsored, once again, in part by the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan. The on-going partnership between the NMU Center for Rural Health and the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan continues to develop and benefit youth in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. As a result of this year’s support, the project expanded from visiting three elementary schools and educating 350 students in 2023 to visiting nine elementary schools and educating 488 students in 2024.
The project...
1) got youth excited about reading and interacting with college students
2) provided college students an opportunity to communicate with and educate youth
3) increased youth’s awareness and knowledge about proper oral hygiene
4) encouraged youth to read at home with their parent(s)/guardian(s)
5) increased parent’s/guardian’s awareness and knowledge about proper oral hygiene and, hopefully, will
6) improves the oral hygiene of youth.
This year’s project targeted second grade students at Aspen Ridge Elementary in West Ishpeming, Birch View Elementary in Ishpeming, Lakeview Elementary in Negaunee, K.I. Sawyer Elementary and Gilbert Elementary in Gwinn, Powell Township School in Big Bay, Mather Elementary School in Munising, and Graveraet Elementary and Superior Hills Elementary in Marquette.
Northern Michigan University pre-dental and pre-medical students received training ahead of time to learn the proper way to read and engage with a young audience. Two to three NMU students visited second grade classrooms, read the book Curious George Visits the Dentist, engaged students in oral health trivia and demonstrated proper brushing and flossing techniques. All elementary students received a copy of the book to take home and read with their parent(s) and/or guardian(s). A label with a QR code was placed inside the cover of each book acknowledging the NMU Center for Rural Health and the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan. When the QR code is scanned, the reader is connected to a video of the book being read by NMU alumna Anja Erickson. This allows a child to have someone read the book with them. Additionally, second grade elementary students received an oral health kit consisting of a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, a timer and a toothbrush cover.
Additional Project Expansion
The on-going partnership between the NMU Center for Rural Health and Copper Shores Community Health Foundation resulted in replicating and expanding this project to the Copper Country area in 2024. Copper Shores Community Health Foundation supported project expansion, in coordination with the NMU Center for Rural Health, by engaging with the Student Leadership Advisory Council of the Keweenaw (SLACK). SLACK is a youth organization hosted by the Copper Country ISD. The group brings youth leaders together in an effort to improve the lives of youth in Houghton, Keweenaw and Baraga Counties. Approximately 45 student youth leaders received training and education from the NMU Center for Rural Health and then engaged by reading and educating almost 500 students in L’Anse, Baraga, Houghton, Hancock, Dollar Bay, Lake Linden, Calumet and South Range elementary schools. Blog story
Conclusion
The success of this year’s project is largely due to the collaboration and wonderful on-going partnerships with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and Copper Shores Community Foundation. We look forward to exploring more ideas, developing more partnerships and expanding health related efforts throughout the region in the future.
Partners on this project include...
