{"id":3851,"date":"2024-04-16T05:03:41","date_gmt":"2024-04-16T09:03:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kars4kidsgrants.org\/our-grantees\/?p=3851"},"modified":"2024-04-16T05:03:41","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T09:03:41","slug":"code-read-bridging-the-literacy-gap-one-book-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kars4kidsgrants.org\/our-grantees\/code-read-bridging-the-literacy-gap-one-book-at-a-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Code Read: Bridging the Literacy Gap, One Book at a Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Code Read<\/a> provides new books to young people who may not have access to books at home. The organization was born out of a love of books, founded by one amazing teenager, then 15-year-old Mackenzie Krestul. The story of Code Read, in fact, is as inspiring as the work it carries out on behalf of children.<\/p>\n

Promoting the literacy has been a focus of our small grants<\/a> program from its very inception. Like a baby who must crawl before he can walk, so too, children must acquire fluency in reading, before they can learn, for example, history, geography, and STEM subjects. That makes getting books to young children, crucial. Research tells us that kids having their own books at home, is first foremost, the most effective way to get them reading, and that is exactly what Code Read is all about.<\/p>\n

We put some questions to Code Read VP Amanda Krestul, mother of Mackenzie, to find out more about the important work of Code Read:<\/p>\n

Kars4Kids: Tell us about your demographic. Who benefits from the work of Code Read?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amanda Krestul: Code Read serves students in need through partnerships with Title I schools, the Department of Child and Family Services, LA-Family Housing, and the YMCA, along with many local organizations.<\/p>\n

\"Child<\/p>\n

Kars4Kids: What\u2019s the story behind Code Read? Who founded this initiative and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amanda Krestul: Code Read was founded eight years ago by Mackenzie Krestul, a student and avid bookworm with as much passion for serving their community as they have for reading. With the support of their family, they launched Code Read with the goal of bridging the literacy gap by providing new books<\/a> to students with limited access. Studies show that having books at home correlates directly with reading scores, but for many families, books are a luxury, with nearly 61% of low income families having no books at all at home. We believe that books should be a right, not a privilege. All students deserve access to grade-level books at home that reflect their interests and experiences, books which will create lifelong learners with a love for reading.<\/p>\n

\"MacKenzie
Mackenzie Krestul<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kars4Kids: Why is it important for kids to own books? Isn\u2019t a membership in a public library enough?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amanda Krestul: Many of the communities we serve lack easy access to libraries, and those libraries tend to be severely underfunded. But beyond that, we believe the experience of choosing a book to keep forever is meaningful, and has a lasting impact for our students. For many, it\u2019s the first book of their own they\u2019ve ever owned, and there\u2019s always a chorus of excited gasps and when the students hear that the books are theirs, to keep forever.<\/p>\n

\"Cute<\/p>\n

Kars4Kids: How does Code Read work, exactly? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Amanda Krestul: The program starts with a kickoff video, where the students are chosen to be a part of Code Read\u2019s \u201cSuper-Secret-Top-Secret Mission\u201d to give homes to every book. Teachers assign all the new secret agents their own missions, often reading logs or other student-specific goals, through which students earn \u201cBook Bucks\u201d to use at our free book fair (however, \u201cBook Bucks\u201d are only symbolic, and the challenges, a way to engage students in the program and get them excited to read). All students, regardless of how their missions go, receive two or more new books, a book bag, and a bookmark.<\/p>\n