Rx for Reading at UDM’s Counseling Clinic

Our latest Rx for Reading library is right on the campus of University of Detroit Mercy!  UDM’s Counseling Clinic is a no-cost mental health clinic providing individual and group counseling to approximately 250 clients per year.  The clinic provides counseling for children and adults for a variety of mental health concerns, including depression, substance use, anger management, anxiety and career counseling.

Counseling Clinic 2Nursing major Heather Galli and English and Education major Paige Olekszyk braved the winter weather to deliver the bookcase and books.  They were able to fit 365 books onto the book shelves–one for every day of the year.  Special thanks to Emilie Wetherington, Director of Disability Support Services at University of Detroit Mercy, for her donation of the bookcase.

Counseling Clinic I croppedClinical Director Sheri Pickover, Ph.D., LPC spoke to the value of incorporating Rx for Reading into the clinic’s work:  “The opportunity to access free reading material provides the children and adults who come to the Counseling Clinic with an improved waiting room experience and a way to obtain often expensive books.  The Counseling Clinic is grateful for the ability to offer our clients these resources.”

Reading in the City

Reading throughout the summer is the best way to prevent “summer slide” and go back to school ready to succeed.  Plus, it is a really fun way to spend summer in the city!

A camper and counselor read at the Minock Park Summer in the City Camp.

A Minock Park Summer in the City Camper with the ever-popular Clifford.

This summer RX for Reading partnered with Summer in the City, which offers free, 8-week camps for local kids in seven Detroit locations–Northwest Activity Center, Latino Mission Society, Delray Recreation Center, Ford LaSalle Park and Focus: HOPE, Pasteur Elementary School, Hamtramck Community Center, and Minock Park.  Campers get to read, play, do arts and crafts, sports, creative writing, and take Friday Field Trips throughout the city.

More summer reading at Minock Park.

More summer reading at Minock Park.

RX for Reading provided a box of writing paper and new and gently used books for all seven Summer in the City camps–750 books in all.  Campers got to read many of the books throughout the summer, and at “Finale Friday” kids chose whatever books they wanted to take home.

Summer in the City campers with some of their selections!

Summer in the City campers with some of their selections!

Our incredible RX for Reading volunteer and UDM School Psychology graduate student Beth Jordon with some of the books she brought to Finale Friday.

Our incredible RX for Reading volunteer and UDM School Psychology graduate student Beth Jordon.

Meet Mary Grahame Hunter--She said the highlight of her day was when a little girl chose "Mama Went to Jail for the Vote" (pictured here).  When she asked the little girl if she was sure she answered emphatically, "Yes... I'm positive proudly".  Mary also loved giving a little boy a book on Willy Mays because he said he loved baseball.  His grin stretched from ear to ear.

Meet Mary Grahame Hunter–She said the highlight of her day was when a little girl chose “Mama Went to Jail for the Vote” (pictured here). When she asked the little girl if she was sure she answered emphatically, “Yes… I’m positive proudly”. Mary also loved giving a little boy a book on Willy Mays because he said he loved baseball.  His grin stretched from ear to ear.

These girls are volunteers with Summer in the City.  Yeva, on the right, immigrated from the Ukraine when she was 4.  She said she had inspiring teachers that taught her the love of books, and that's why today she is a Sociology & Pre-med Sophomore at Amherst.  Mika, on the left, refused to read in grade school, but in middle school discovered Harry Potter and hasn''t stopped reading since.  She is now a sophomore at Oakland university.

These girls are volunteers with Summer in the City.  Yeva, on the right, immigrated from the Ukraine when she was 4.  She said she had inspiring teachers that taught her the love of books, and that’s why today she is a Sociology & Pre-med Sophomore at Amherst. Mika, on the left, refused to read in grade school, but in middle school discovered Harry Potter and hasn”t stopped reading since.  She is now a sophomore at Oakland university.

A Lola le encantan los cuentos!

Lola loves stories–A Lola le encantan los cuentos!

The little boy pictured here with his sisters and mother said as they started to walk away, "Mama, can I go back and sit in the van because I want to read my book?!"

This little boy, pictured here with his sisters and mother, said as they started to walk away, “Mama, can I go back and sit in the van because I want to read my book?”

Thrive by Five!

Thank you Southwest Solutions for inviting RX for Reading to their Thrive by Five Community Open House!  Thrive by Five is a federally-funded, early childhood education program designed to help families break the cycle of poverty.  It incorporates Early Head Start and Head Start programs for children from birth to five and wraparound services including family support, parental skills training, and health and social service support and referrals.

UDM Assistant Professor of Psychology Erin Henze and UDM graduate and undergraduate students Kristen Hnatio, Nancy VanRaemdonck, Heather Bishop, Sandybel Quintana, Erika Turak, and Renesha Smoot Grafton represented RX for Reading at the Community Open House. They distributed over three hundred new English and Spanish-language books to children and talked with parents about strategies for reading with children and promoting literacy.

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Thank you to Southwest Solutions for inviting us and to our incredible donors who allow us to provide new books for children in our community!

What Happens When College Students and Preschoolers Read Together?

Every Thursday, University of Detroit Mercy undergraduates visit the morning and afternoon classes at Emmanuel Head Start, a short drive from the Detroit Mercy campus.  After reading out loud with the kids, they help all of the Emmanuel students pick out a new book to take home to read with their families.

The kids adore UDM freshman Renesha Smoot-Grafton, whom they call "Nesha"!

The kids adore Detroit Mercy freshman Renesha Smoot-Grafton, whom they call “Nesha”.

The idea behind the Rx for Reading Head Start partnership is to bring together students at the very beginning of their education and students towards the end of theirs through the shared love of reading.  Preschoolers get to see that reading is a lifelong activity, one they will do every day when they are the college kids.  College students get to take a break from the stress of studying to remember the pure joy of reading and the excitement of discovering a new book.

UDM Business major Anna Mindling reads Doc McStuffins with the kids at Emmanuel

Detroit Mercy Business major Anna Mindling reads Doc McStuffins with the kids at Emmanuel

Families get to share in the excitement when the preschoolers bring their new books home.  We bring a broad selection of books each visit so the kids are empowered to pick out books that they are excited to read.  According to the head teacher at Emmanuel, Mrs. Kimberly Ogletree, parents have reported that their children have been read their new books so often that the preschoolers can “read” them back to their parents!

What happens when college students and preschoolers read together?

Magic.