New & Now
Art for everyone Visitors of all ages will receive free admission to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art on the second Sunday of each month in 2024, thanks to generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program. “This grant allows us to make an even bigger impact in our community,” said OKCMOA President and CEO Michael Anderson, PhD. “The funds guarantee that many more people will have the opportunity to be inspired by the art and the stories in our exhibitions – and that that inspiration no longer has to be hindered by financial barriers.” OKCMOA will continue to offer free admission daily for kids 17 and under. IN ADDITION TO OFFERING DAILY FREE ADMISSION FOR KIDS 17 AND UNDER, OKCMOA WILL ALSO OFFER FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL GUESTS ON THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH IN 2024. Reading on a roll! In the fall of 2023, Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, in coordination with Oklahoma City Public Schools, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and other community partners, unveiled its second ReadOKC On the Go! Book Bus. The new ReadOKC On the Go! Book Bus provides critical reading materials to students, further improving literacy rates and promoting a life-long love of reading. Every OKCPS student who visits a ReadOKC On
the Go! Book Bus receives a brand new book of their choice. The Foundation’s first book bus debuted in July 2021 and has since distributed more than 36,000 books, visiting all schools across the district and increasing student access to reading materials. With two buses in the ReadOKC fleet, each school will receive a book bus visit every school year. One bus will be dedicated to elementary schools and the other to secondary schools.
TAFT MIDDLE STUDENTS, OKCPS STAFF AND DISTRICT OFFICIALS, GREATER OKC CHAMBER AND OKCPS FOUNDATION LEADERS CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF THE OKCPS FOUNDATION’S SECOND READOKC ON THE GO! BOOK BUS. reading skills through mentorships, and Little Libraries at each school to enhance access to reading materials. “Our families and student population represent approximately 70 different languages, and reading is a great way for our newcomer students to connect with their peers,” said Nancy Perdomo, OKCPS director of family engagement service. The district-wide ReadOKC initiative includes diverse programming, like the ReadOKC On the Go! Book Buses, as well as Reading Challenges to encourage consistent reading habits, Reading Buddies and Book Clubs to bolster students’ confidence and The new book bus also enhances existing programming within the district to support students who have recently moved to the United States, many of whom are English language learners. Stocked with reading materials intentionally selected to meet the needs of ELL students, the bus helps guarantee they have access to relevant reading materials that support and encourage them as they embark on the difficult task of learning a new language.
14 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / JAN-FEB 2024
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