As Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) students and faculty sat at tables at the Seiberling Community Learning Center with about 50 students ranging from first-third grade, they read a handful of books with each student.
In celebration of National Reading Month, which occurs throughout the month of March, the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network and NEOMED teamed up to host the first-ever Teamwork for Tomorrow: Read, Serve, Inspire event.
"For me, being an alumni (of Seiberling CLC), this is a full circle moment – especially seeing that the kids are very smart and they have very bright futures," Karlton Cherry, a second year pharmacy student at NEOMED said. "It's really about empowering them and allowing them to understand that they can be whoever they want to be."
Students also received a surprise visit from Browns alumni Jamie Meder and Chomps to help bring excitement to the day of reading.
Not only did the NEOMED students and faculty read with students, but they also packed reading-at-home kits that each student was able to take home at the conclusion of the event. The NEOMED students and staff packed around 100 at-home-reading kits, which included a draw string bag, a book, a reading light, a bookmark, a notebook, a highlighter, a pencil and a Stay in the Game! sticker. The remaining 50 at-home-reading kits were donated to Akron Public Schools to hand out to other students in the district.
"I think it's a great experience for our students to be able to interact with students of a younger age, learn how to communicate and connect with other children who may be able to go to do great things in their lives, too," NEOMED's College of Pharmacy Interim Dean Dr. Katherine Tromp said.
The Stay in the Game! Attendance Network – launched in 2019 by the Cleveland Browns Foundation, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Harvard's Proving Ground and managed by Battelle – is working to dramatically improve student attendance by partnering with school districts across Ohio, including Akron Public Schools.
Attendance has a direct impact on a student's reading levels, as students who have never been chronically absent are 3.9x more likely to read on grade level by the end of third grade. Encouraging students to attend school and promoting reading can help improve a student's overall education and positively impact their future.
"A big part of NEOMED's partnership with the Browns is focused on education and community service," Chief Marketing Officer for NEOMED Tonya Strong-Charles said. "The Browns have a long history of supporting schools and giving back to the community. This is just one example, and NEOMED is proud to be a partner in this important endeavor."
