Incirlik launches 'Reach Out and Read'

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Anthony J. Hyatt
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Members of the 39th Medical Group here launched a new children's reading program recently to prepare Team Incirlik's youngest children to succeed in school.

The 39th Medical Group kicked off the Reach Out and Read program here March 3, 2011, making Incirlik Air Base the first Air Force installation overseas to implement the program.

Reach Out and Read is a nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud, according to the Reach Out and Read website.

Forty-four military bases worldwide have Reach Out and Read programs enabling approximately 90,000 children of military families to participate in the program annually.

Col. Jay Cloutier, the 39th Medical Group commander, helped launch the Reach Out and Read program here by reading books to an Incirlik Unit School 2nd grade class.

"Reading is so important in the development of children," said Colonel Cloutier.

According to the program website, the 3.9 million families served annually by Reach Out and Read read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten better prepared to succeed, with larger vocabularies, stronger language skills, and a six-month developmental edge over their peers.

Capt. Linda Bradshaw, the 39th MDG pediatrician, and Holly Mello, the 39th MDG developmental specialist, initiated the Reach Out and Read program at Incirlik.

"I was familiar with the program and well aware of the benefits," said Captain Bradshaw. "Let's get this going at Incirlik."

For more information on the Reach Out and Read program, visit www.reachoutandread.org.