Read Across America Initiative Continues Throughout SLUHN Service Area

Since 2018, a team of volunteers from St. Luke’s Monroe Campus has participated in Read Across America at Clear Run Elementary School. Read Across America provides an opportunity to further bring our St. Luke’s staff and mentoring initiatives to our schools to demonstrate commitment to the communities we serve.

“We are honored to partner with the schools, as they play a vital role in fostering a love for reading – a skill which expands vocabulary, improves writing skills and develops critical thinking skills, all of which are key to achieving success,” said Don Seiple, president of St. Luke’s Monroe Campus.

“In 2023, we expanded the program to include one elementary school in each of the four Monroe County school districts: Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley, Pocono Mountain and East Stroudsburg,” Seiple added. “Through this partnership, we hope to play a small part in inspiring the students to discover the joy of reading and a lifelong love for books.  Our team truly enjoys reading and interacting with the students, as each story shared becomes a steppingstone to a brighter future.”

Read Across America, which officially began on the birthday of author Dr. Seuss (March 2), is dedicated to literacy and aims to encourage reading while educating people about its benefits. Reading and related activities were planned throughout the day on March 3 at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Bethlehem.

Guest readers included Ralph Greco and Joe Swarctz, author and illustrator of Echo City Capers children’s books, and Margaret Place, a St. Luke’s volunteer. They read books to pediatric patients in the playroom or in their rooms if they couldn’t attend the playroom readings. Staff also distributed age-appropriate books and stuffed animals to pediatric patients who were hospitalized and those who came for outpatient procedures throughout the day. Several other Dr. Seuss-themed activities took place.

St. Luke’s Department of Community Health is partnering with more than two dozen schools throughout the community. More than 100 St. Luke’s staff will read to approximately 10,000 of the Lehigh Valley’s urban and rural students throughout the week.

St. Luke’s identifies needs through its Community Health Needs Assessments and partners with school communities throughout the year to consistently connect students, staff and families to care, education and resources. Visit https://www.slhn.org/community-health/community-health-needs-assessment for more information.