Civic Theatre of Allentown Launches Literacy Program at Local School

Civic Theatre of Allentown today launched a five-session children's literacy program at Allentown's Central Elementary School, funded by the United Way's Women's Leadership Initiative.
The program, taught by local educator JoAnn Wilchek Basist, is an all-inclusive outreach program that promotes literacy by doing what Civic Theatre does best - bringing words to life.

"This program is a perfect example of the intersections between the arts and reading" says Basist, "The program, 'Reading with Cat in the Hat' utilizes interactive drama in correlation with the works of Dr. Seuss to mentally, emotionally, and physically engage children and motivate them to read."

Educators and institutions around the world have recognized the powerful impact of the works of poet, artist, teacher, and entertainer Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, whose books have sold more than 2 million copies worldwide.

Civic Theatre's program will utilize the characters of the books of Dr. Seuss to provide effective reading instruction with the use of visual and audio learning modalities. By employing varied learning styles, the program will reach all students, regardless of their gender, heritage, or socioeconomic background.

Basist has been a teacher at the St. Thomas More School in Allentown, Washington Elementary and Central Elementary Schools in the Allentown School District, and the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts. Basist has also been a teacher in the Civic Theatre School and the Allentown City Arts Camp.

The United Way's Women's Leadership Initiative, a women's leadership and philanthropy arm of the United Way, has adopted Central Elementary School as their signature project and have committed tremendous resources for three years in after school programs.

Javier Toro, the Community School Director at Central Elementary, has welcomed new opportunities for the students at Central.

"The program is a great opportunity for our students to be exposed to the work of Dr. Seuss" says Toro, "It helps to stimulate their reading skills, which they need for their future."
Civic Theatre of Allentown enhances the quality of life in the Lehigh Valley through the provision of quality, affordable live theatre, art-house and independent film, and arts education, as well as provide opportunities for community members and local artists to work and learn together in all aspects of the theatrical arts.

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