Above: David Morgan, special projects director of the Mississippi Humanities Council, reading the book “The Lion and the Mouse” at the first 2016 Prime Time Reading Program. Photo credit: Erin Elliott

MGCCC begins second year of successful Prime Time Reading Program

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College was selected for a second year to host the Prime Time Family Reading program in Stone County. The program, which is held each Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Arts Center on MGCCC Perkinston Campus, began January 26 with more than 20 families attending.

Funding for the program was provided by the Mississippi Humanities Council and local businesses and organizations such as Little Caesars, Whistle Stop Café’, MGCCC, Raising Canes, Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Friends of the Stone County Libraries.

“The program, PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME_®, targets children ages 6 to 10 and their parents in an effort to foster a lifelong love of learning through reading,” said Dianne Brady, senior consultant with Prime Time.

The six-part series of reading and discussion programs includes sessions on communication, work and economy, social justice and equity, peace and conflict, interdependence, and environment and sustainability. Each week, families with children ages 6 and older meet with a storyteller and a discussion leader to explore different children’s books, learn good read-aloud and storytelling techniques, and engage in group discussion.  Participants are also introduced to the many resources and services available to them within the county such as the Wiggins Fire Department, Stone County 4-H, Stone County Public Library and others. A pre-reading activity is available for younger siblings aged 3 to 5.

“Storytelling is as old as language itself,” Brady said. “Stories told around the light of a campfire are the very roots of oral literature, which is the basis for the written word. The excitement and enchantment of storytelling and the written word provide the springboard for this unique family literacy program.”

Dr. Brenda Rivero, assistant director of the Willis H. Lott Learning Resources Center at MGCCC Perkinston Campus, said that the program has been very popular in Stone County and expects that to continue this year. “We have a large group of families participating this year and they are very enthusiastic about the program. We are pleased with the response and the support of the program by so many community organizations and businesses.”

The Mississippi Humanities Council is a private, statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information about the program, contact Shugana Williams, MGCCC librarian, at (601) 928-6259 or pklibrary@mgccc.edu.