Reading Under the Lights

Kayley Cox • April 26, 2023

Reading Under the Lights

A few months back, our CEO interviewed me as homework for a certification she was working through at the time. She had a closed-door interview with each staff member and asked us about some of our favorite and least favorite parts of our jobs. I don’t remember the questions exactly, but at one point she asked me something along the lines of “What is something that you really enjoy doing at United Way and why?” I, of course, asked for more context but she left it up to my interpretation. I told her that I really love being part of the Reading Under the Lights programs, not because we have to, but because it is the right thing to do.

For those who may be unfamiliar, Reading Under the Lights is a literacy program that United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties (UWWH) partners with Wayne County Public Library and local school districts to host a free book gifting event. Typically, the event is held at the end of a school year, with the intent to provide books to students to read during their summer break. At the event, students from each school have the opportunity to choose their own books, based on interest, at their own varied reading levels, in an environment that encourages and celebrates reading. Depending on sponsorship donations, some schools can have students pick up to FIVE books to keep and read throughout the summer!

In the most recent version of the Kids and Family Reading Report, 8^th Edition, only half of school-age parents are aware of the idea that school-aged children lose academic skills over the period of summer break. [1] This decline in academic skills, or reading comprehension levels, is also known as the “summer slide.” One way to combat this drop in literacy levels for students is to not only provide books to students, but for them to have the autonomy or “buy-in” to select the books they will read. 93% of kids say their favorite books are the ones they picked out themselves, and 92% of kids say they are more likely to finish reading a book they have picked out themselves. I agree!

Reading is the foundation for most of what humans do throughout our lives. It is an essential function often taken for granted. Without the opportunity to learn to read at a young age, this can often set individuals back when preparing for life, post-education. Think about it. If you can’t read, you often can’t follow a formal Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in a workplace. Reading is essential when driving. You even need to be able to read when ordering from a restaurant’s menu. Reading Under the Lights brings such a value to our community by connecting our students in local schools to community libraries and organizations, while promoting positive literacy association. By investing in our youth, we are investing in our community’s future.

For more information about getting involved in Reading Under the Lights, or to bring the program to your school district, contact us at United Way (330) 264-5576.

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[1] The Summer Reading Imperative (scholastic.com)

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Books and Balance: Cultivating Mental Well-being Through Reading

By Kayley Cox • May 12, 2025

Growing up, I had a complicated relationship with reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading various chapter books or series, ranging from the Arthur to The Baby Sitter’s Club to A Child Called “It” series. But once I reached middle school, many of the English classes I attended had required reading for the course, and the requirement meant reading was no longer an option, but rather it was mandatory, and to take notes, and to be tested on the material! The required reading lists often burned me out, leaving me disinterested in picking up a book for pleasure. I would go through phases of wanting to read more, but the enthusiasm was often short-lived. As an adult I have really tried to be intentional with reading. As someone who has made a New Year’s Resolution to “read more” the last 6 years, I have really tried to focus on finding what genres interest me because when I do, I do in fact “read more,” and I like it! It also makes me happy. I feel like I have more to talk about in conversations and enjoy the dialogue reading a book brings, along with the mental break it provides me from daily life. As a parent of two young children, I have really tried to make it a priority to foster a love of reading in my kids. I encourage them to choose the books we read, and to take it a step further, I have also been intentional that my children also SEE me reading. Reading books for my own enjoyment. I want them to remember that reading isn't just something we do together, but also something we can do for ourselves. It’s a form of self-care and can really help our health-our MENTAL health. Literacy plays a critical role in children's mental well-being. Research from Scholastic and the Yale Child Study Center-Scholastic Collaborative for Child & Family Resilience highlights the powerful influence of books and literacy on mental health. It shows that a love of reading can boost self-esteem, increase empathy, and mitigate anxiety and depression. Reading can introduce children to different types of people from all walks of life, and not only that, introducing children to different points of view, perspectives, ideas and ways of life. This exploration can foster creativity and imagination and innovation – traits that are needed for our community to evolve and grow. And this exploration can provide an opportunity to show that no matter your thoughts, you are not alone in them. By modeling reading, I hope to instill in my children the understanding that books, while educational tools, are also powerful allies in maintaining mental health. Our brain, just like anything else in the body, needs exercise. And we have the power to put the book down or keep turning the page. Whether it’s going to library to pick out our selections, or borrowing books through the Libby app, I challenge you to give yourself a moment of escape with a side of perspective that a good book can bring. Then, track your progress through Wayne County Public Library’s Beanstack app to follow your book journey. This action has truly helped me prioritize reading for my mental well-being while also instilling the love of reading in my children so they too can create a balance for their own mental health.