The Million Minute Read

Giving Georgia’s Children 1,000,000 Minutes and Countless Opportunities

What is one thing that you can do this year to give children a greater chance to succeed in school? Join in The Junior Leagues of Georgia: Million Minute Read!

Reading aloud to children is one of the best ways to facilitate their oral language and vocabulary development. Studies have proven that children who are exposed to a rich vocabulary have a greater chance for success in school. It’s a critical component of early childhood education, and a great opportunity for Junior League volunteers to make a difference!

Through our shared commitment to children and their success in school, the Junior League of Atlanta and 11 other Junior Leagues from across the state have partnered to read one million minutes to Georgia’s children this year!

Join in this endeavor, and make a lasting impact in the lives of children.

• Who: Junior League volunteers — provisionals, transfers, actives, sustainers — YOU!
• What: Read to children aged birth through elementary school – anytime, anywhere, to any child – through your placement, Early Childhood Education (ECE) activities (watch for opportunities throughout the year), or on your own to your child, a friend’s child, or any child!
• When: Throughout the League year, September 2009-April 2010.
• Where: Daycares, schools, hospitals, placements, home—the opportunities are endless.
• Why: Reading and exposure to language is critical to success in school! By third grade, children must be reading to learn, not learning to read.

The Million Minute Read is being conducted in partnership with Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning and their “A Million Dreams and Counting” program. This program celebrates the one millionth child passing through the doors of the Georgia Pre-K program during the fall of 2009. Established in 1993, Bright from the Start provides the state’s four-year-old children with high quality preschool experiences.