if you give a child a book...
At the Bee, we know that great readers make great spellers. Childhood literacy is at the core of our program, and every day we strive to give students the words they need to shine their light on the world.
This year, we're excited to partner with the Scripps Howard Fund and The E.W. Scripps Company to help put books into the hands of kids who need them the most. We hope you will consider making a donation to this worthy cause below.
help us give the gift of reading to children across the country
Since its launch in 2016, the If You Give A Child A Book ... campaign has donated more than one million new books to economically at-risk children who live in communities served by Scripps businesses. Scripps selects Title 1 schools in their communities to distribute the books, ensuring they go to children who need them most.
Join the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the Scripps Howard Fund and The E.W. Scripps Company to give the gift of reading to children in need across the country. Every $6 donation to the “If You Give a Child a Book … ” campaign allows us to put one book in the hands of a deserving child!
Did you know...
Children not able to read at grade level by the third grade are four times less likely to graduate from high school.
A series of new studies indicate that roughly one-third of the youngest school kids are behind on reading benchmarks, higher than before the pandemic. One thing proven to help is age-appropriate books in the home, and we work with Scholastic Books to choose authors and titles of books that represent the diverse cultural makeup of our community.
61% of low-income families do not have books available at home for children to read.
Studies show children who grow up with books in the home enjoy a substantial advantage over children who do not. In fact, for years researchers had connected children’s future literacy level to the income and educational attainment of their parents. However, a 20-year international study has found that the greatest predictor of academic achievement is the number of books in their house! Together, we can put books in the hands of children in need.