JAMESBURG – A selection of Spanish texts for early learners will help young students practice to read and develop a love of books.
The LT Apparel Group of South Brunswick provided just under 100 storybooks to John F. Kennedy Elementary School (JFK) in Jamesburg, according to JFK Principal Pamela Hernandez.
“Research tells us that early intervention can make a lifetime of difference by helping students to succeed in school,” Gloria Aftanski, president of the United Way of Central Jersey (UWCJ), said in a prepared statement. “By focusing resources in ways that make the most difference, United Way and our partners work to create opportunities for a better life for people living in Central Jersey.”
First graders in the two-way immersion classes will use the books to develop literacy skills like vocabulary, letters, sounds and comprehension, Hernandez said.
Currently, 36 students at JFK are using these books.
“We are grateful for LT Apparel and UWCJ who provided books for our two-way immersion classes. These classrooms integrate native English speakers and native speakers of another language and provide instruction to both groups of students in both languages,” Hernandez said in the statement.
The UWCJ works with corporations and individual donors who want to support the community, according to William Dennison of the United Way. One way that UWCJ does that is by working with schools in Central Jersey to increase literacy, and in November 2017 arranged a volunteer project for LT Apparel with JFK.
Hernandez described some of the ways that students could benefit from donations, and United Way and LT Apparel responded with these books to help implement the Two-Way Immersion approach, Dennison said. UWCJ will continue to develop resources that help JFK students to succeed.
“We know that students need to be prepared for a changing future when language skills will be an asset,” Jo Ann Rothenberg, vice president of Human Resources at LT Apparel Group, based in the Dayton section of South Brunswick, said in a prepared statement.“We employ a diverse workforce, and the need for multi-lingual staff will grow.”
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].