The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is helping set local children up for success.

On Tuesday, April 9, a group of volunteers and staff from the United Way read to kindergarten students at Northwest Elementary and sent students home with copies of the book and helped them create puppets of characters from the books.

The event was part of an initiative that saw literacy packets distributed to more than 1,400 students in 15 schools in the region, said Amy Franz, regional vice president of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Here in Butler County, the literacy packets were taken to students at Broad Street, Center Township, Connoquenessing, Emily Brittain and Summit elementary schools on April 4, and Northwest Elementary on April 9.

A report by Scholastic, indicates that when children have books at home, they perform better academically in school.

Creating excitement about reading can further fuel the fire. The report by Scholastic shows children are five times more likely to read the whole book when they choose their reading material.

Reading fosters higher-order thinking skills and can leave children with a more optimistic view of the world.

Further, the United Way reports on its website that children who are reading at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely to graduate high school.

Franz explained that books appropriate to the grade level are chosen with the notion that a hands-on activity also be done with the students following the book reading.

Then, the students take two books home to have and read at their own leisure.

The excitement on students’ faces says it all — the program makes quite an impact.

The United Way’s goal to “promote literacy in the developing minds” should be applauded.

— TL