By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – During Reports to Council on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 3, Cherokee Central Schools (CCS) Superintendent Consuela Girty, Center for Native Health (CNH) Relational Health Program Director and Growing Reader Associate Kristina Hyatt, and Hope Center Director Michele Galloway, presented the Cherokee Growing Readers initiative through Unite for Literacy, which will include book gardens and a community writer’s workshop.
“Cherokee Growing Readers is an initiative that puts books into the hands of Cherokee children and families through free book gardens, nurturing a lifelong love of reading and connection,” Hyatt said.
“This reading initiative made possible through a partnership between Unite for Literacy, National Center for Families Learning, and Cherokee Central Schools, is planting the seeds of literacy across the Qualla Boundary.”
Free book gardens are available at Cherokee Central Schools, Qualla Boundary Head Start, Qualla Boundary Public Library, the Cherokee Dental Clinic, the Center for Native Health Mothers’ Gatherings, and Nurse-Family Partnership.
Hyatt also shared that the initiative is working to partner with other organizations like the Cherokee Boys Club to place free book boxes on the school buses.
The initiative will also include a writer’s workshop on Oct. 29, details to be announced, for Cherokee community members to produce 9-page books that will be distributed in the book gardens.
Girty said the writer’s workshop is important for representation. “The writer’s workshop is to get more Cherokee people involved and creating more books so that they are Cherokee driven…Our kids will be able to see themselves in these pictures, they will see our local community. I believe in the quote, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’”
There is also a free subscription of books that can be mailed to your home by signing up at www.uniteforliteracy.com/register/cherokee
