Reading skills advance when a child is presented with reading activities and content that relate to his or her world. How does reading the news, in print or digital formats impact literacy?

The Kid Scoop Foundation supports effective programs that foster a love of reading while connecting children to the world around them with real world educational resources found in their local newspapers, websites or e-editions so they may develop a curiosity about and sense of belonging to their communities and the world outside their front door.

Research shows that when newspapers are used as a teaching tool in the classroom, reading achievement goes up an average of 10%. Students in high-risk populations have demonstrated increases of more than 30%. (NAA Foundation study, 2001, Measuring Success.)

NAA Foundation’s latest research 9/17/2004 also indicates that reading specific youth orientated content in the newspaper leads directly to more civically engaged young adults.

Because, an increase in reading achievement leads to success in school and a decline in at-risk behaviors, newspapers have an essential role in education.

When the community newspaper contributes to local schools, a new structure is initiated which creates breakthrough advances in education. The Kid Scoop Foundation will develop programs that provide newspapers with tools that make it possible for them to be meaningful partners with their schools.

When children, and by extension their teachers and families, critically read the newspaper, the quality of those newspapers becomes apparent. If we educate children from a young age on the importance of quality journalism, we avoid the risk of generations going forward without the ability recognize or demand good journalism.