Fresno State’s Fresno READS program will host the bilingual (Spanish and English) Lowell Family Literacy Night 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 3, at Lowell Elementary School in Fresno (171 N. Poplar Ave.) to encourage childhood reading and parent involvement.

Dawn Lazo, program coordinator, said, “The main message to the parents will be to read to their child in any language. We’re stressing new research that demonstrates that reading to children in their first language is an important indicator of future reading success.”

Fresno READS, established in 1997, recruits, trains, and places Fresno State students as mentors and tutors for kindergarten through Grade 6 children in local elementary schools to help improve their reading and learning success.

About 40 Fresno State students trained to work as reading tutors in Title 1 elementary schools will demonstrate interactive reading strategies that promote parent involvement and help develop strong literacy foundations. Title 1 is the federal designation for schools with a large percentage of students from low-income households.

University students, employed through the Fresno State’s work study program, assist teachers in the classroom, host events such as book fairs and community outreach and attend classes to expand their professional and academic skills.

“In turn, the project gives the tutors/mentors meaningful academic, personal and professional development experiences,” Lazo said.

The Lowell night will include crafts, games, interactive reading, strategies for developing reading comprehension and fluency as well as critical thinking skills and dancing the cha cha slide. Books, small toys and puppets made and donated by students under the direction of Fresno State theatre arts professor Kim Morin will be awarded as prizes at the event. Two bicycles are grand prizes.

For more information, contact Lazo at 559.278.7007.

University Communications student news assistant Reganie Smith-Love contributed to this copy).