Reading Program Brings 6,000-Book Digital Library to 10 Title-I Schools

Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW) recently announced a partnership with Orange County Public Schools to bring the myON® reading program to 10 Title-I schools, beginning in April. Funds raised by HFUW’s Women’s Leadership Council at their annual Women’s Leadership Luncheon were used to provide the one-year subscription to select schools.

In addition to giving approximately 6,000 students 24/7 access to a digital library of more than 5,000 books in over 50 categories and genres, myON® provides metrics that assess reading progress and project reading growth.

“A recent study shows that in middle-income neighborhoods, the ratio of age-appropriate books per child is 13 to 1, while in low-income neighborhoods the ratio is 1 book for every 300 children,” said Robert H. (Bob) Brown, president & CEO of HFUW. “As a community, we need to address the need for more access to books for under-served children and continue to improve education by providing them with the learning resources they need.”

“Following United Way’s philosophy of Investing in Results, the Council believes in a preventative approach to these issues through education, so we continue to invest in the futures of local students through programs like myON®,” said Karen Dee, Women’s Leadership Council Chair and Mid-South Regional President, Fifth Third Bank.“We all know how crucial reading is to a student’s overall success, and we’re excited to partner with local educators to help our next generation of leaders succeed.”

Schools participating in the myON® program include:

• Eccleston Elementary
• Fern Creek Elementary
• Grand Ave. Elementary
• John Young Elementary
• Lee Middle School
• Lockhart Elementary
• Tangelo Park Elementary
• Winegard Elementary
• Wyndham Lakes Elementary
• Zellwood Elementary

“We are grateful to United Way and the Women’s Leadership Council for supporting literacy in our community,” said Barbara Jenkins, Orange County Public Schools Superintendent. “Thanks to their generosity and commitment to education, students will have even greater access to interesting content.”

To learn more about the myON^® program and other United Way education initiatives, visit www.HFUW.org