Huntington Learning Center Celebrates Read Across America Day 2021

By Anne Huntington Sharma - HLC President

Growing up in the Huntington house, reading was a big part of our daily routine. From splitting up the newspaper sections in the morning to discovering new facts about the world, to ending the day with a few chapters at bedtime, my parents always encouraged reading.

These days, our family reading consists more of expansion proposals and franchisee training materials, but I have fond childhood memories. And, now my husband and I, in the Sharma house, make a point to relax and read for pleasure, especially on the weekends.

At Huntington Learning Center, we believe that strong reading and comprehension skills play a vital part in every facet of children’s education - not just in humanities classes, but in science and math as well. That’s why, on Read Across America Day, we’re encouraging parents and children to make reading together a daily habit. One great way to do this is to set aside 30 minutes of reading time as a family each day, and alternate who gets to choose that day’s reading. Whether it’s a novel, a magazine, or even a comic book, reading regularly helps your children expand their vocabularies and promote a rich understanding of language.

Parents can also encourage reading by tapping into their children’s hobbies and interests, which is an especially great strategy if your children may not be drawn to reading. Do you have an aspiring chef in the home? Choose a recipe together and have your child read it aloud while you make it together. Thinking about starting a backyard garden this summer? Encourage your child to research what kinds of plants grow well in your climate, then go to the store together and have them select the seeds to use. There are many fun ways to engage children in reading that do not involve sitting at a desk - or even opening a book!

Huntington offers a variety of great programs and fun ways to keep children excited about reading, including our free summer Reading Adventure program. Our individualized academic programs are great ways to build skills, confidence and motivation. Our programs have a proven track record to help children improve their reading and math levels by over two grade levels on average. Visit HuntingtonHelps.com for more information, and we hope you enjoy reading together as a family!