Take Charge of Your Health Today…Children and literacy

Mother and daughter in the library, reading a book. Getty Images Stock Photo This month’s Take Charge of Your Health Today spotlight is on children and literacy. That includes how important it is for Black children to reach a reading milestone at the end of 3rd grade when students shift from learning to read to reading to learn. Early literacy is tied to long-term school success, graduation rates, and future job opportunities. We asked Carlos Carter, head of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, about how literacy skills help to empower Black children and families and promote education equity. CARLOS T. CARTER& Q: In this month’s series, University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. Moye talks about a divide in the reading levels between white students and Black students and how social determinants of health — such as access to housing, food, and educational resources — play a part in this performance gap. Can you expand on this? Carlos: Social determinants of health shape the overall environment in which children grow and learn. For example, frequent moves and housing instability can disrupt a child’s education. Access to nutritious food is vital for cognitive development and concentration in school. Lack of educational resources, such...