Black Cultural Center offers summer reading to children

By Matt Holsapple
Summer Reporter

Joe Jones reads to his son, Joseph, to teach him the importance of learning and education.

This summer Jones will also be trying to instill those values into other children in the Lafayette community.

Jones will be one of many volunteers working with the Black Cultural Center's (BCC) Summer Reading Series.

The Summer Reading Series is a program that teaches area children about the writings of Africans and African Americans. Through these writings children will learn about traditional African values. These writings include poetry, short stories and music. The program will be June 14, 21 and 28.

The program is free and children can come to as many of the sessions that they wish. Each session will consist of one hour of reading and discussion and a half-hour for the children to write poetry of their own. At the conclusion of the program, the BCC will publish a book of participants' poetry and on July 12 the participants will read their work at a poetry slam.

Jones said he hopes that his involvement will show 6-year-old Joseph not only the importance of education, but the importance of helping others in their education as well.

"I think that it will be a good example for Joseph if he sees me participating and helping with the other kids, Jones said. "It will instill the values much more than me just telling him."

Instilling values is going to be a large part of the focus of the program, according to Kimberly Ellis, coordinator for the Summer Reading Series.

The theme of this year's program is "Poetry, Prose and Proverbs: Reflecting on Values." Children participating in the program will be taught about traditional African values through the different pieces they read.

Some of these values include respect for elders, honoring the spirit over the material, the idea that people are more important than objects, valuing yourself and valuing the group over the individual.

"There is respect for the individual, but you can't let one individual ruin something for the entire group," Ellis said.

Ellis also said that there were three main things that she hopes that the children get out of the program: the values, an appreciation for African culture and an appreciation for the art of writing.

"We really want them to get a deep level of exposure to an imaginative realm that reinforces who they are and gives them a depth of culture."

The program, in its second year, is open to all children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Even though the program focuses on African and African American culture, there is a good mix of children that are and are not African American.

"We want to especially encourage children in the African American community because cultural events for these kids are rare," Ellis said.

Jones said that the importance for the African American community is another reason that he is volunteering. "I want to help these kids as a young, African American presence in the classroom. That is a presence they don't often see," he said. "I also hope I can provide some levity and entertainment for the kids."

Ellis said that there are about 20 children registered for the each session, but there is still room left for more children to register. For more information, call the BCC at 494-3092.