Pequea Valley townlively.com
OCTOBER 2, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LX • NO 41
Imagine literacy BY ANN MEAD ASH
F
or some time now, the Together Initiative Network (TIN), which includes Pequea Valley School District (PVSD), along with area churches, ministries, and businesses has had a goal of providing the support needed to have 90% of local children reading by third grade and reading proficiently by fourth grade. The goal is based on data that shows individuals are 10 times more likely to end up in generational poverty if they are not reading by third grade. According to Lisa Eckert, PVSD director of early learning since January of 2020, one way to reach that goal is to put books in the hands of children from birth to age 5. “We know when there are books in the home, chances are parents will be reading (to children),” said Eckert, who noted that in low-income homes that can be a challenge. “Those families must meet basic needs before
Parents read to their preschoolers at Pequea Valley School District’s Early Learning events.
thinking of extra things,” she said. “Our goal is to make sure families don’t have to worry about that extra thing like books.” For about seven years, PVSD has made more books available to more children by taking part in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, an international program
administered locally through the Literacy Council of LancasterLebanon. For a nominal cost per book, 225 PVSD preschoolers receive a book in the mail each month. “So we are giving out close to 3,000 books a year,” noted Eckert. W hile statistical evidence
points to the availability of books in a home as an indicator of family members being more likely to read, Eckert acknowledged that there are additional benefits to children. “There’s so much that happens in addition to parents reading to them,” explained Eckert. “A lot of developmental
(steps) are encouraged by having the physical book available.” Eckert added that increases in kindergarten readiness and academic, social, and emotional benchmarks have been noted. “Everything we’re doing is contributing to that, and (Imagination Library) is a big part of that.”
College of Technology is launch pad to better lives BY JEFF FALK
Success in the business world revolves around opportunity. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology (TSCT) not only seeks to provide opportunities for students, but also assists them with skills that will make the most out of those opportunities. T hey are oppor tunities that have the potential to be
life altering. “ We are always looking at workforce data to align our majors to the needs of the workforce,” said Pedro Rivera, who’s been TSCT’s president for four years. “We want our students to have careers. Everyone who graduates from here is employable for a lifetime. When someone can earn a living wage with one or two years of education and with little or no
Less than two hours to make a big difference BY ANN MEAD ASH
Brothers-in-law Charlie Neff and Mike Sensenig both volunteer delivering meals with Meals on Wheels in the Pequea Valley area. Mike is retired, and he and his wife, Deb, handle the Paradise-Strasburg route every other Friday. Deb drives, and Mike runs the meals from the car to the recipients. Charlie is not retired. He works his farm, helps his wife run a bed-and-breakfast, and owns a
See College pg 2
Paradise Meals on Wheels volunteers include (from left) Marie Glass,
See Meals on Wheels pg 12 Deb Sensenig, Mike Sensenig, and Charlie Neff.
FURNITURE & Mattress
HEATING & COOLING
BROWNSTOWN CLEONA READING NEW PROVIDENCE MYERSTOWN POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER OCT. 2, 2024
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
Postal Patron
PEQ
See PVSD pg 9
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