Literacy Is For Everyone, known as LIFE, held its first book fairs recently, at which it donated 502 books to the students of Red Bay Primary School and Edna Moyle Primary School. This brings the total number of books donated by the literacy and education advocacy group to 80,000 since its was established in 2012.
LIFE has donated those tens of thousands of books to the Cayman Islands public school system, pre-schools, and local communities, since its inception more than a decade ago, when it embarked on a mission to address low literacy levels.
The group says its signature programmes, including Book Donations, Paired Reading, Thrive By Five, Partners in Print, and the Education for Everyone Project, aim “to provide children of all ages and backgrounds with the tools and support needed to foster their love of reading”.
In a press release about its latest donations, the group said, “These programmes are designed to ensure that high-interest, developmentally appropriate books and educational resources are accessible to all children.”
As the largest donor of books to the public school system, LIFE has donated more than 48,000 books in the last four to five years. This includes the provision of classroom libraries for every primary school and textbooks needed for student examination preparation.
At its recent book fairs at Red Bay and Edna Moyle primary school, it donated more than 500 books to the students.
The group says the book fairs were inspired by research in the latest Scholastic Kids and Family Reading Report, which found that children are more likely to engage in reading for fun when they have chosen their own books. The enthusiasm of the students in attendance reflected the success of this initiative, it said.
“LIFE is thrilled to have reached this incredible milestone of 80,000 books donated,” said Erin Galatopoulos, LIFE’s book donations coordinator. “With our goal of providing classroom libraries for all government primary schools in Cayman achieved last year, we are focusing on developing the classroom libraries of John Gray High School and Clifton Hunter High School, as well as providing books for students’ homes and supporting LIFE’s Early Childhood programmes.”
The group noted that the recent Government Data Report for the Academic Year 2021–22 revealed that only 27% of the assessed Year 6 students at government primary schools met expectations in reading, writing, and arithmetic during the previous academic year.
“These findings are very troubling,” said LIFE’s executive director, Erica Dell’Oglio. “They highlight the urgent need to improve literacy outcomes for Cayman’s children. We are committed to extending our programmes and initiatives to more children and families, emphasising the importance of language and fostering a love of reading. We are immensely grateful to our generous donors, dedicated volunteers, and community partners as their support is instrumental in our mission.”
LIFE collaborates with other education and community focused organisations, including the Ministry of Education, the Early Childhood Care and Education Unit, the Cayman Islands Early Childhood Association, the Family Resource Centre, and other non-profits, to maximise their impact in the community.
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