‘Story hour at Kirkwood Public Library had a guest reader on Thursday. Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander stopped by as part of a tour spotlighting the early literacy initiative “Racing to Read.”Earlier this year, public libraries throughout Missouri were invited to apply for a portion of the $300,000 in federal funds set aside by the Secretary of State’s office to help children enter Kindergarten ready to learn to read.Kander said people seem to be excited by the program because they know how important early exposure to words and reading are for the future success of children.

“I have a ten-month-old son, and I know firsthand that sometimes you run out of stuff to just say to them so that they hear more words, to the point where you can get a little light-headed if you don’t have something like a book there to help you,” Kander said.In Kirkwood, the library used the funds it received to create an iPad station for toddlers and panels that let kids interact with letters, stories and shapes. It also purchased books to give the children who attend story hour. Twenty-nine public library systems are participating in the early literacy program, including those in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, University City and St. Charles.’

Read the full Article of how Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander read to toddlers at Kirkwood Public Library on Thursday, July 10, 2014