PHX Reporter

Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) is hosting its Festival of Tales, an event aimed at fostering early childhood literacy and encouraging a love for reading among young children. This initiative aligns with PVCC's commitment to early childhood education, particularly as the college now offers bachelor's degrees in Elementary and Special Education.

Dr. Jana Schwartz, President of PVCC, emphasized the college's dedication to community service through this event. "Our mission here at PVCC is to serve the community in ways that have lasting impact," she stated. "The Festival of Tales exemplifies that commitment by providing families with the tools and resources to cultivate a love of reading, which we know is key to academic and personal success."

The festival supports early literacy development, which begins from birth through interactions between children and caregivers. It focuses on language development, phonological awareness, vocabulary growth, and comprehension. The event provides essential literacy resources to families in the Greater Paradise Valley area regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Kari Barker, an adjunct faculty member at PVCC’s Education and Social Science Division, highlighted the importance of early exposure to books: “From an early age, children begin to absorb the rhythms and patterns of language... Even before they can read, young children learn that pictures symbolize real-world objects.”

Research indicates that regular reading enhances children's ability to recognize letters and understand words within context. However, access disparities exist; only 36 percent of low-income families read daily with their children compared to 62 percent among high-income families. The Festival of Tales aims to bridge this gap by offering free books and interactive activities.

The festival includes book giveaways and storytime sessions designed to help children develop foundational literacy skills such as understanding print meaning and learning new vocabulary.

Make Way for Books highlights several facts about early literacy: rapid brain development occurs in the first three years; vocabulary size is linked to future school success; achievement gaps appear as early as 18 months; struggling readers by fourth grade are more likely to drop out later.

The Festival of Tales will take place on Saturday, December 7th at PVCC’s Union Hills Campus in Phoenix. Families are invited for a day filled with stories and activities aimed at nurturing young readers' educational journeys.

For more details about the event visit https://www.paradisevalley.edu/academics/festival-tales.