Gov. Sam Brownback talked to young students about the importance of reading at an after-school program Thursday in Kansas City, Kan.
And he got some candid responses.
“You learn to read, it’s going to open gateways for you to go all over the world. Maybe some day some of you are going to go to the moon, even,” Gov. Sam Brownback told the young students in the Kansas Reading Roadmap after-school program Thursday at the Boys and Girls Club at 1240 Troup, Kansas City, Kan.
“What?” one girl asked, as the room broke into excited chatter. Some hands went up, maybe to volunteer for the space trip.
Gov. Brownback told about astrophysicist Steve Hawley’s spouse, who worked in the governor’s office.
“Your generation’s going to the moon. But, you’ve got to be able to read,” Gov. Brownback said.
One young student pointed out that they wouldn’t be able to breathe on the moon.
“They’ll send oxygen with you,” the governor replied.
“If somebody here wants to go to the moon, you’ve got to be able to read. You’ve got to be able to do your math,” Gov. Brownback repeated to the students.
“I want you to work really hard, study hard, I want you to get straight A’s in school, I know you can do it,” the governor told the students.
“I don’t get A’s in school,” one student responded.
“Well, I think in the future you’re going to,” the governor said. “So, that with plenty of oxygen, you can go to the moon.”
The governor visited classrooms, participated in activities and signed a proclamation for National Lights On Afterschool Day, committing the state to innovative after-school programs, making sure the lights stay on and the doors stay open after school so the children can learn.
Gov. Brownback said this after-school program is a successful way to help students who are struggling. Kansas Reading Roadmap activities are part of the regular day at the Boys and Girls Club. Kansas Reading Roadmap is offered through a contract with the Kansas Department for Children and Families. The program targets low-income families with children who are struggling to read.
The program is offered in schools, at homes and in the summer in various locations in Kansas.
Reading Roadmap programs are offered in about 50 schools across Kansas, but this is the first of its kind to be offered in a Boys and Girls Club, according to Andrew Hysell, Kansas Reading Roadmap executive director. He said the governor suggested offering the program at the Girls and Boys Club. Students and staff thanked the governor for the Kansas Reading Roadmap program.
A video from this talk is online at https://www.facebook.com/WyandotteDailyNews/.
