Winter Book Festival Spreads Holiday Cheer to Children

By: Joslyn Hatfield

Carefree giggles, cider, cookies, a table full of books and a rendition of The Tortoise and The Hair, brought the spirit of giving and holiday cheer to the 3rd Annual Phoenix College Winter Book Fest.

The children of the Phoenix College Family Care Center enjoyed an engaging and highly amusing skit of the classic story, complete with the characters of the rabbit and the turtle as wells as a valuable life lesson. With their faces gleaming with anticipation, the children waited patiently to receive their holiday treat of apple cider and fresh gingerbread cookies.

As the event progressed each child was given a book donated by a Phoenix College community member.

Thanks to the Student Life and Leadership Office, nearly 100 books were donated by members of the Phoenix College community. The 3rd Annual Book Fest collected enough books for each child at the Family Care Center to take one home to enjoy.

Family Care Center Director, Alverta McKenzie knows the importance of an event like this.

"These children range in age from 2-5 years old," she said. "For many of them this will be the first book they receive."

The Winter Book Fest is designed to celebrate the holiday season with the gift of reading. It is a way to include all of the children at the center in the joyous festivities and it creates a fun and exciting way to get the Phoenix College community in the holiday spirit.

The Phoenix College Family Care and Head Start Center was recently granted accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC is the nation’s oldest and largest organization of early childhood professionals dedicated to improvement of quality childhood education.