Grand Island Public Library, (City of Grand Island, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND — The Grand Island Public Library is again partnering with Humanities Nebraska to bring bilingual Prime Time Family Reading to local families this spring. The family literacy program helps strengthen participants’ interest and skills in reading and talking about books.
A definitive 10-year analysis found that children who attended Prime Time outperformed their peers on standardized tests in elementary through high school.
There will be two concurrent Prime Time programs at the library this fall — one for preschool-aged children and their families on Saturday mornings and one for elementary-aged children and their families on Monday nights.
Preschool Prime Time for children ages 3-5 and their families will be held on Saturday mornings from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the library starting Saturday, March 2 and running through April 6. Elementary Prime Time Family Reading will be held on Monday nights from 6-8 p.m. at the library starting Monday, February 26 and running through April 1.
Registration is free and open to all families and their children ages 3-10. Preschool childcare is provided for younger siblings ages 3-5 at the Monday night program. Each weekly session begins with a family meal, followed by storytelling and discussion based on award-winning children’s books in both English and Spanish.
All sessions are offered without cost to families thanks to generous statewide sponsors including the State of Nebraska, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, National Endowment for the Humanities, the Sherwood Foundation, Humanities Nebraska and an anonymous donor.
Since 2002, more than 19,000 Nebraskans have participated in one or more of the 457 bilingual and English-only Prime Time Family Reading and Prime Time Preschool series held in 19 communities throughout the state. If you are interested in Prime Time, you can call the library at (308)385-5333 and ask for coordinator Laura Fentress.
