City Of Columbia and Richland School District One celebrate Eighth Annual “Together We Can Read” initiative
February 18, 2016
The City of Columbia and Richland School District One held the eighth annual “Together We Can Read” press conference this afternoon. City Council Members, Richland District One Board Members, Author and Illustrator and 101 guest readers all gathered at City Hall to announce this year’s book.
Each year a book is chosen that highlights Columbia or South Carolina to give children the opportunity to identify with their local culture. This year’s selected book is, “Katie’s Cabbage.” “Katie’s Cabbage,“ is the inspirational true story of how Katie Stagliano, a third grader from Summerville, South Carolina, grew a forty-pound cabbage in her backyard and donated it to help feed 275 people at a local soup kitchen. Katie Stagliano, who is now 17 years old, also spoke at the press conference. She is the founder of Katie’s Krops, a not-for-profit organization with the mission to start and maintain vegetable gardens of all sizes and donate the harvest to help feed people in need, as well as to assist and inspire others to do the same. Katie stated, “I think that the Together We Can Read Program is very inspiring because it connects South Carolina stories with kids and I hope that ‘Katie’s Cabbage’ will inspire them to make a difference.”
Councilwoman Tameika Issac Devine, who spearheads the annual reading initiative, also recognized readers at the press conference and thanked them for volunteering their time to this meaningful educational effort.
“The idea for Katie’s crops began when Katie was in the third grade and so therefore, you can tell when I say that we can teach our third graders what they can become. At third grade she got the idea for a not for profit and then she’s gone on to start that not for profit and written a book that has been published,” Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine, stated.
On tomorrow, February 18, the guest readers will travel to every elementary school in Richland School District One and enter classrooms to read “Katie’s Cabbage” to every 3rd grader in Richland School District One. City Council members and City of Columbia officials will be reading as well at the following elementary schools:
- Deputy Chief Melron Kelly- Greenview
- Councilman Sam Davis- Arden
- Battalion Chief George Adams- Hopkins
- Chief Aubrey Jenkins & Councilwoman Devine- Horrell Hill
- City Manager Teresa Wilson- EE Taylor
- Chief Skip Holbrook- Brockman
- Councilman Moe Baddourah- South Kilbourne
For additional information, please contact Public and Media Relations at (803) 545-3020.
