On an unexpectedly warm winter day, community members and kids gathered at the King Kennedy Boys & Girls Club to celebrate the grand opening of a new space to address a long-standing challenge in Cuyahoga County: literacy. After the ribbon was cut, the kids listened closely as local author Kathi Howard-Primes read the first official story of the Book Nook.
The Jack and Jill Cleveland chapter created the Nook with support from the Jack and Jill of America Foundation, the oldest African American led non-profit in the country, to promote literacy by encouraging the youth of the community to read more books. In 2022, the Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland, a group working to bring the community together on efforts related to literacy, reported that 54% of Cuyahoga County residents are unable to read at the highest proficiency level.
Jack and Jill Cleveland wrote the grant for the Nook in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club (501c3).
Gloria Jones, club director at the King Kennedy Boys & Girls Club, was one of the many people who contributed to the concept and creation of the Nook.
“They decided they wanted to do this at one Boys & Girls Club location in Cleveland, and they chose this one” Jones said.
Kimberly Sutton, President of the Jack and Jill Inc. Cleveland chapter, told Signal Cleveland that the collaboration felt right from the start.
“The pride that Ms. G (Gloria) and the staff has as it relates to the work they do and the community that they serve made us feel like this is where we belong,” Sutton said.
Reading is something Sutton and her family have always had an interest in.
“I grew up in a family of educators and readers. I love to read. My grandmother always used to say ‘readers become leaders’, that’s something I always carry with me.”
Once they found out they would be receiving the funding, the club began to clean out the space and map out what the Nook should look like. While this was a collaborative effort, the children at the Boys & Girls Club were tasked with designing the space.
“There is a group of kids in the club called the Torch Club kids. They were responsible for picking out the color of the room, the furniture and what other things they wanted the nook to include,” Jones said. “I had an idea of how I wanted it to look, but I wanted the kids to lead and have the final say because they are the ones that will be spending the most time there.”
Sutton echoed Jones’ sentiments, saying that it was important for everyone involved that the children would enjoy the space.
“We hope that they will feel comfortable in the space that we created,” Sutton said. “To have a safe haven and somewhere where they will just want to spend countless amount of hours in the Book Nook.”
‘A relaxed atmosphere’
Jones believes it’s important for the community to get back to the basics in addressing the literacy gap in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. She notes their non-traditional approach to the issue, which she hopes will serve them well over time.
“I think we need to go back to the basics of reading. It’s more than just learning the alphabet. We have to learn our vowel sounds and nouns,” Jones said. “This isn’t a traditional classroom setting. They aren’t being forced to do anything. It’s a relaxed atmosphere.”
With some love and patience, both Sutton and Jones have confidence that the club can help young people and anyone else who wants to improve their comprehension skills.
“We are looking beyond this one step to see what additional things we can do to collaborate with the center and the children,” Sutton said. “We want to provide not only for the children of Jack and Jill, but for all children. That certainly includes the King Kennedy Boys and Girls.”
“If there are words you need to know, let’s sit down quietly. I don’t even ask for 15 minutes,” Jones said. “I don’t care if we only get through one page of a book, if that kid can understand what is read, then we are making progress.”
‘I want to teach the kids about being compassionate and showing empathy’
Kathi Howard-Primes read her children’s book, “Walking in Ava’s Shoes.” The story was inspired by her daughter, Kayla Primes, who was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at a young age. Howard-Primes is an author, educator and former Jack and Jill parent.
“When I wrote the book, I really wrote it as a way of healing as a mother,” Howard-Primes said. “I wanted to share that story because I do believe that there are many students out there who are diagnosed with ADHD that are misunderstood and sometimes labeled in a negative way.”
When Howard-Primes asked the children in attendance at the ceremony who had heard of ADHD, hands immediately shot up.
“When I ask students if they know what ADHD is, someone always raises their hand,” she said. “It just goes to show that there are a lot of students in the same space with other students who have been diagnosed with ADHD.”
Kayla Primes, a of Howard University alumni and former Jack and Jill participant, is proud of her mom for publishing the book that was influenced by her personal journey.
“I was a part of the process in regards to the fruition of the book, illustration and how I wanted to be portrayed,” Primes said. “My room is lavender, so I wanted the room to be lavender in the book. My mom has a short haircut, and that’s how the mom in the book was portrayed. I really appreciated the small personal details that were included.”
Black Children’s Book Week
Primes utilizes strong organization skills as a tool to help balance out her diagnosis. She encourages anyone who is dealing with ADHD to seek out as much information as they can and to reach for the stars.
“Dream big” she said. “Don’t allow anybody to put limitations on what you can and cannot do. Build a community with other people who have ADHD and support one another.”
This week also happens to be Black Children’s Book Week, a celebration of Black children and the people who ensure Black children are represented in books and other children’s media. Howard-Primes hopes that her work will contribute to improving the literacy of young children, particularly those in underserved communities.
“I love the fact that the kids are really engaged every time I read the book. It really warms my heart,” Howard-Primes said. “It was so perfect that this ceremony was happening during Black Children’s Week. It’s very special.”
