WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A six week literacy-based summer program just came to an end.

What You Need To Know

The students received a book each week to help build their home library

65 kids from Winston-Salem were part of the program this summer

It was for rising third through eighth graders

Wake Forest University's Freedom School works to enhance children's motivation to read. It provides a research based, multicultural reading curriculum and also supports them through leadership development, social action and health.

What makes the program so impactful for children is how much fun they have while learning.

Program leaders encourage the children to learn how to read through singing, dancing and encouraging each other. Volunteer reader, Tomeka Hall says this program transforms the way children think about reading. 

“These days in time, the kids get left behind so much it's up to us to pick them up, encourage them and show them reading is fun even though they might not understand the words or they might look big. In the long, run it's going to pay off," Hall said. 

Daniel Cook is a student who took part in the program. He says it really inspired him to read more books.

“So before this camp, I didn’t like reading, I just hated it, but now Freedom School made me appreciate reading way more," Cook said.

The Freedom School is hosted by the Department of Education and is made possible with the help of collaborators including the president and provost.