World record-holder and five-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky joined a virtual storytelling event this week to read books to children. The regular event, called ‘Virtual Storytime,’ is hosted most days by Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando on his Facebook page.
Ledecky, a native of Montgomery County in Maryland, read ‘The Little Engine That Could’ to kids watching the Facebook storytime episode published on Wednesday, June 17. As of Wednesday, it was Virtual Storytime’s 57th episode to date. Jawando read ‘I Like Myself,’ a children’s book about self-confidence.
These virtual events are hosted in partnership with the Montgomery County Public Library.
“Parents of young children rely on libraries for early literacy programs,” states Jawando in a Virtual Storytime event description. “In an effort to help those parents who have been left without those critical programs during this crisis, I will be holding daily storytime sessions every weekday at 11:30AM.”
Maryland went into a full lockdown on March 30, when Gov. Larry Hogan issued a stay-at-home order as known COVID-19 cases in the state jumped past 1,400. In mid-May, Maryland began to re-open, and moved into phase two of reopening in early June as the new case rate has continued to decline steadily.
Kudos! We need more heroes and role models reading to kids, now more than ever! I encourage all swimmers to contact their local libraries (who are likely still closed) and offer to read during virtual storytimes. We have had hundreds of followers on social media and thousands of shares from our presentations. Summer reading programs encourage practicing this essential skill while out of school.
“All around great person and champion.” Very cool!
Cool! “I think I can” this is great motivation.
This is what I’m craving and talking about. Thanks! Brava!
We need stories in our sport. We need these to be original ones too — as they’ll build relationships and resonate with the youngsters.
Sports and swimming are about time, space and relationships — and we’ve got a lot of TRAGIC stories that end in the death of a kid or adult that got into serious trouble. But that brings on fatigue and burnout with the kids. We don’t need that negative drama and trauma. We are missing and in need of uplifting, positive stories. Its part of the human condition.
I’m going to flip this post and link into the story collection brewing at S6.CLOH.org.
This is so cool, what a great opportunity for her and the kids presented by Council member Jawando!