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Three finalists selected to receive $150,000 in literacy grants

Posted at 5:00 AM, Mar 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-17 05:00:23-04

WCPO 9 On Your Side, the Scripps Howard Foundation, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation and Duke Energy Foundation have selected three finalists for $150,000 in grants to support childhood literacy initiatives in impoverished neighborhoods throughout our area.

The finalists, which were selected from a pool of 14 initial applicants, are:

  • Dayton Independent Schools, which hopes to fund its “Readers are Leaders” program and provide free reading training to the caregivers of young children in Dayton, Kentucky. The school district also plans to host an early childhood literacy night to create bonds between parents, children and teachers.
  • Princeton City Schools, which is seeking funds for its year-round mobile book center. The book center brings books and tutoring to those who need them, and it enables families to borrow and access materials and technology they might not have at home.
  • The Children’s Home of Cincinnati, which would use the funds for its SPARK (Support Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) program. SPARK provides monthly home visits to the parents of young children and supplies them with age-appropriate books, art supplies and activity cards to help families engage with their reading materials.

Two of these organizations will receive $25,000 to help meet their goals; the winner will receive $100,000. That winner will be announced during the Scripps Howard Awards at the Aronoff Center for the Arts on April 12.

WCPO 9 On Your Side will livestream the award show that night, so stay tuned!