If you give a child a book campaign to raise funds to help the students of Helena

HELENA – We at Montana Television Network and Scripps believe in promoting children’s literacy, so every year we run the If You Give A Child A Book Campaign, with the goal of raising money to buy new books which are then distributed in the regions needed within the communities of our television stations.

The goal is to create a home library and allow students to choose which books they want to read. Students will choose ten books appropriate for their age.

This year, MTN has chosen Broadwater Elementary School in Helena as the Title I school receiver in Helena. Kindergarten to grade three students will have the opportunity to select ten books.

Director Kelli Boedecker said: “We want them to be successful today and tomorrow, and in 10 years. “

Getting the books into the hands of young students is essential. Scholastic’s Reading for Children and Family report says just 35 percent of nine-year-olds report reading five to seven days a week, compared to 57 percent of eight-year-olds.

For Boedecker, she says she sees the tendency for students to use their tablets or other electronic devices to read, but says nothing beats the feel of a book in their hands.

“I love opening a book; I love that feeling of the spine opening and the smell of the pages, so it’s me, but something tangible in their hands that they can actually turn the page .Is that feeling of accomplishment much different from turning a page than scrolling it, ”she said.

Nationally, “If You Give A Child a Book” has distributed half a million books with over 90 million minutes of reading since the program began.

Here in Helena, the community and Montana Television Network employees raised over $ 9,600 which was donated to the students of Bryant Elementary School.

More information on how to donate can be found here.