New York City, March 12:  Jamaica’s Consul General Herman LaMont opened the “I Pledge To Read” campaign last night in Queens, NY.  “I Pledge to Read” week is presented by GraceKennedy Money Services, Western Union and the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations.

It is a community education initiative geared towards young students  in New York City of Caribbean heritage to encourage them to read.

“It is our goal to help stimulate interest in reading as it is fundamental to learning. Too many of our children are not reading to their grade level and this presents the challenge of poor comprehension. The Western Union I PLEDGE Reading Week seeks to highlight the need for parents, well-wishers and friends to get on board to become part of the solution as we jointly seek to educate our children for nation building” explains Noel Greenland, Senior VP of Marketing and Operations at GraceKennedy Money Services Ltd. 

 

Karlene Largie, President of UJAA (USA) is proud to have the umbrella organization of Jamaican schools’ alumni associations here in the tri-state area participating in this program. “The goal of the initiative is to promote reading and improve literacy skills, specifically among second through fifth graders. Our organizations are leaders in our communities, and we encourage academic excellence among our young persons.”

Working with local schools, the team of partner organizations have arranged for community personalities to visit elementary schools, sit down with students and read to them and/or with them. Afterwards, the students will have the opportunity to have open conversations with the guest readers to understand why reading is important to them.