Miss NSU provides treats to inspire north Tulsa elementary students

(Broken Arrow, Okla.)--This Halloween, one area school is in for a special treat. In an effort to inspire reading, Miss NSU LaTasha Atcity and Northeastern State Universitys College of Education are partnering with Hawthorne Elementary to provide free books to students in third through sixth grade through Rowdys RiverHawk Readers program.

Atcity, who has battled dyslexia all her life, will graduate from NSU this December.

Having a support system encouraged me to do more than I thought I could do, and I want to provide the same inspiration to young children who are also facing educational challenges, Atcity said.I want to remind them that their circumstances do not determine their success.

Dr. Allyson Watson, Eddings Endowed Chair for Urban Education, Outreach and Research at NSU, says, It is so important for all students to understand the importance of reading each evening. We want to provide books for the students to take home and enjoy to encourage a love for reading. By spending just 20 minutes each day reading a student will have read over a million words per year. We want to build on the students knowledge to prepare them for academic success.

Reading not only helps children develop cognitive and language skills, but it exposes children to different words and styles of writing. Developing these habits early on can give children skills to become lifelong learners.

Reading comprehension in the third grade is critical for students to be successful in school. Rowdys RiverHawk Readers program is designed to encourage elementary school students to read. So far, the program has donated 700 books to students in Tahlequah, Muskogee and Tulsa Public Schools.