Marion County Public Schools has kicked off its “Launching Literacy in the Community” campaign to support strong literacy skills and reignite a love for reading.
The campaign will include a series of videos, online posts, a student essay contest, and various resources for students, parents, and families.
“Reading is essential to every skill in life, yet some people struggle to read even as adults,” stated MCPS in a media release on Monday.
During the campaign, 10 video segments will be released, featuring prominent local residents as they emphasize the importance of reading in virtually every career choice. The video participants include Rashad Jones of Big Lee’s BBQ (kicking off the campaign), College of Central Florida President Dr. Jim Henningsen, local surgeon Dr. Adetayo Lawal, Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano, and MCPS Principal of the Year Michelle Cino, among others.
These videos will play during morning announcements and elsewhere on campuses throughout the district, along with social media platforms and the MCPS YouTube channel throughout the semester. The messages will also include favorite books, career advice, and other insight from the video participants.
In addition, MCPS students in every grade level can submit essays about literacy. The essays must follow specific writing prompts, and they must be submitted via email (to: LaunchingLiteracy@marion.k12.fl.us) by no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, February 23.
MCPS will announce the essay contest winners on Monday, April 1.
The start of the literacy campaign intentionally coincides with Florida’s statewide “Celebrate Literacy Week” to express the importance of strong literacy skills at every level in society, according to MCPS.
For more information, and to view the “Launching Literacy” videos, visit the Marion County Public Schools “Launching Literacy” webpage.