Why Early literacy?
Children who are not prepared to read are not prepared to succeed. “The ability to read directly inuences all other areas of a child’s education.” (cnyvitals.org/education). Early literacy is crucial, as it forms the foundation for later learning, communication, social and emotional development and critical thinking skills. A student who has not gained the ability to read by third grade is not ready to learn, and will likely struggle in other school subjects, including math and science, and be less likely to graduate high school.
Across Onondaga County and Central New York, early childhood literacy is a persistent challenge. However, the gaps in early literacy are largely invisible until children reach third grade, when New York State assessments reveal how far they lag behind. In 2024, only 40% of Onondaga County students and just 20% of students in the Syracuse City School District were reading on grade level by third grade, compared to 46% statewide. The disadvantages of poverty and low literacy are linked. One in five children born in Onondaga County are born into poverty, more than 6,600 children under five live in low-income households, and less than half are enrolled in formal early learning settings. National data show that fewer than half of the children who live in poverty enter school ready to learn; this underscores the urgency of earlier and more holistic intervention.
Why storytelling?
Arts-focused early literacy engagement rooted in storytelling, music, visual art, and performance, offers powerful and accessible ways to connect families to literacy resources and knit together cultural institutions with community supports. Young children learn by listening and exploration.
Hearing and telling stories can help children develop empathy and explore new ideas, while advancing their cognitive development, building their vocabulary and strengthening communication skills. Lively storytelling can also inspire children’s curiosity, expand their imagination, and form a basis for a lifelong love of reading by building a gateway from their excitement and awe to engagement in written tales.
Oral storytelling is an ancient tradition that offers all these benefits while conveying time-honored values and generational wisdom, and building cross-cultural awareness that prepares children to connect across different worlds and to the diversity in their own backyard. Skilled storytellers can also guide children through consideration of complex ideas and universal human questions in non-threatening ways