Oceanside Promise Community Partners Strive to Collect 10,000 Children’s Books
Oceanside CA— The Oceanside Promise is rallying local businesses, organizations, community groups, and associations to participate in the inaugural community-wide book drive in support of early literacy in Oceanside. The drive will take place throughout the city from Oct. 23 to Nov. 9. The Oceanside Promise’s partners have set an ambitious goal to collect 10,000 books in English and Spanish for young children, ages 0-5.
In addition to engaging the broader community in collecting children’s books, the partners seek to increase public awareness about the importance of improving early literacy in Oceanside. Currently, less than 40 percent of Oceanside’s children enter kindergarten ready to learn and succeed. Only 32 percent of Oceanside Unified School District’s third grade students meet state standards for English Language Arts proficiency, a key indicator for long-term success in college, career, and life.
“The Oceanside Promise has set out to make early childhood success a top priority in Oceanside,” said Nicole Magnuson, executive director of the community-wide partnership. “The entire Oceanside community will reap social and economic rewards if we ensure Oceanside’s youngest children, ages 0-5, have access to quality early learning experiences, starting with increased access to books.”
Oceanside residents interested in supporting the book drive may access a list of participating locations on the Oceanside Promise’s web site at www.OceansidePromise.org. Organizations that have already signed up to host drives and be drop off locations include: Oceanside Unified School District’s 23 school sites, the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, the Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside, MiraCosta College, the City of Oceanside Public Libraries, Main Street’s Sunset Market and main office, Assemblyman Rocky Chavez’s District Office, Oceanside Police Department, and the City of Oceanside Fire Stations. Additional organizations conducting employee book drives include Children’s Paradise, FedEx, Genentech and Hydranautics.
“The business community has a vested interest in the success of children and students in our community,” explained Scott Ashton, CEO of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. “Today’s young children are our future workforce and we all have a role in supporting their learning from cradle through career.” Ashton co-chairs the Oceanside Promise’s Leadership Table, the partnership’s steering committee, along with Dr. Duane Coleman, superintendent of the Oceanside Unified School District.
Local organizations interested in hosting an employee book drive or being a book donation site can visit www.OceansidePromise.org.
The book drive is spearheaded by the Oceanside Promise’s Early Childhood Success Collaborative Action Network partners, co-chaired by Silvia Alcantar of Vista Community Clinic and Marie Town of the City of Oceanside public Library. Organizations benefitting from the book drive include Oceanside Unified School District’s PreK and Transitional Kindergarten classrooms, the City of Oceanside Public Library, the City of Oceanside Community Resource Centers, Vista Community Clinic Parent Outreach Program, Education Begins in the Home, and more.
About the Oceanside Promise
The Oceanside Promise is a community-wide partnership united by a common vision to ensure every Oceanside student graduates ready to succeed in college, career, and life. Through the Oceanside Promise, representatives from education, business, government, nonprofits, and the faith-based community are aligning resources and activities to improve social, emotional, and academic outcomes for children, youth, and families. The Promise’s four goal areas include: Safety, Health, & Well-being, Early Childhood Success, College & Career Readiness, and Postsecondary Completion. For more information, visit OceansidePromise.org.