By Jamannie Morgan
AFRO Intern
jmorgan@afro.com
South Baltimore students at Curtis Bay Elementary School received new books and encouragement to keep reading during a literacy celebration held in honor of Read Across America Month on March 9.
The initiative followed Read Across America Day, recognized each year on March 2.
Parents reading to children everyday help build essential language skills, sparks imagination, and develops emotional intelligence. It also improves the child’s cognitive development, their vocabulary, and helps them process the world around them, according to the Child Mind Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to children’s mental health and development.
By giving students books to take home, the month-long campaign helps foster a love of reading and helps close literacy gaps within Baltimore schools. In the 2024–25 school year, 31.2 percent of Baltimore City students tested proficient in reading on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, a 3.5 percent increase from the 2023-2024 school year, surpassing the state’s 2.4 percent gain.
The event itself, organized by United Way of Central Maryland in partnership with Wellpoint Maryland, brought volunteers and community leaders together to read with students and distribute books that children could take home.
Leaders of both organizations said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to support youth literacy and strengthen communities.
“Wellpoint Maryland and United Way of Central Maryland share a belief that strong communities begin with strong opportunities for children,” said Beth Littrell, associate vice president of community engagement and volunteerism at United Way of Central Maryland. “Read Across America Day was a natural opportunity for us to come together to support literacy and celebrate the joy of reading with students.”
Both Bay-Brook Elementary/Middle School and Curtis Bay Elementary School were selected for the event because they are located within United Way’s Neighborhood Zones, where the organization focuses its efforts on expanding access to opportunity and strengthening community resources.
“These schools are also part of the Community School strategy, which recognizes that students do best when families, educators and community organizations work together,” said Littrell.
A main highlight of the event for students was the opportunity to choose books to take home.
“The best part was seeing the excitement on the students’ faces when they chose their books,” Littrell said. “For many kids, the chance to pick out a book of their own and take it home makes reading feel personal and exciting.”
Littrell also said promoting literacy stands as a key priority within the organization, especially in communities that have historically faced barriers to educational resources.
“Literacy is one of the most powerful tools we have to help young people build strong futures. When children develop strong reading skills early, they are more likely to succeed in school, graduate and pursue opportunities that allow them to thrive,” Littrell said.
Through partnerships with schools, families and community organizations, United Way leaders say they hope to continue expanding access to books and learning resources for students throughout Baltimore.