V.I. Children’s Museum Launches Virtual Reading Series With Zeta Phi Beta

The Virgin Islands Children’s Museum

During Virgin Islands History Month and International Women’s Month, the Virgin Islands Children’s Museum launched its virtual Community Reading Series. The goals of the reading series are to get the community involved with encouraging literacy among Virgin Islanders of all ages and to support the territory’s authors and storytellers. The museum aims to incorporate a S.T.R.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) based method of learning into its exhibits and programs.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum took its books off the floor to make use of the comfy book nook. It has begun inviting community members, students and local authors to create reading videos to be shared on the children’s museum’s social media channels in hopes of virtually reaching families that love to read.

The first reading video series is entitled “Read With A Zeta,” which has been produced in conjunction with the women of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Omega Upsilon Zeta Chapter.

“We are happy to support the V.I. Children’s Museum in their efforts to get our community excited about reading,” said Chapter President D’Joi Francis. “Read With A Zeta offers something unique thanks to our most recent past president Jada Lark, who translates the book into American Sign Language. Now children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing can enjoy books written by local authors.”

“Early childhood literacy is very important to the VICM. As the USVI affiliate for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, we help to provide an average of 800 books monthly to children under the age of five. Being able to create reading videos that students, parents and teachers can enjoy is necessary to keep reading relevant in this virtual world,” said Chantel Hoheb, V.I. Children’s Museum executive director.

Follow the Virgin Islands Children’s Museum on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to the YouTube channel to view and share the Community Reading Series videos at www.youtube/AT9o0mB-xik. People can also join the newsletter list by emailing the museum at vichildrensmuseum@gmail.com.

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