MILLCREEK, Utah — The community is sharing a love of reading with local children. To recognize the 27th Read Across America Day, the United Way of Salt Lake and MountainStar Health Care teamed up to read to students at Moss Elementary in the Granite School District.
“If you can’t read you can’t learn anything,” said Dr. Filip Roos, Chief Medical Officer of MountainStar Healthcare. “Reading is the foundation of learning and you are going to keep learning all your life.”
Dr. Roos was among the nurses, doctors, and staff who sat down to read to children before the opening bell at school.
The children were enthusiastic about turning the pages of their books. “It's important to read because if you never read it will be hard for you to do reading projects and stuff like that,” said Liam Thomas, a 5th-grade student.
3rd grade student Laura said, “If you don’t learn to read then you won't become that smart if you don’t know the words to stuff.”
Many students at the school are fluent in multiple languages and reading opens doors to improving literacy. “It can improve your talking,” one student said. “Like me. I speak Spanish, but now I speak better because of reading.”
The school's principal tells FOX 13 news, that Moss Elementary is proud of having some of the best literacy growth in the Granite School District. Nearly 75 percent of students meet or exceed the standards for their grade level in state testing.
