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DDC STEAM Participates in LeAp Into Literacy Over Spring Break

On April 21, 2022, NYC DDC Deputy Commissioner for Community Partnerships and STEAM Initiatives Lee Llambelis participated in the 2022 LeAp into Literacy for elementary and middle school students over the DOE Spring Break. The event was organized by LeAp to help raise awareness about the critical importance of literacy for youth.

A read-aloud is an instructional practice where teachers, parents, and caregivers read texts aloud to children. The reader incorporates variations in pitch, tone, pace, volume, pauses, eye contact, questions, and comments to produce a fluent and enjoyable delivery.

“This Spring Break initiative had as its goal to help raise awareness about the critical importance of literacy for youth,” stated Deputy Commissioner for Community Partnerships and STEAM Initiatives Lee Llambelis. “Research shows that reading aloud is the single most important thing you can do to help a child prepare for reading and learning. The number of words that a child knows on entering kindergarten is a key predictor of his or her future success. Thank you LeAp for providing the opportunity to participate in such a fun and meaningful event. It has been a very long time since I had read Harry, the Dirty Dog. It was especially fun to read it in Spanish.”

Watch Deputy Commissioner Llambelis read “Harry, el perrito sucio” for LeAp live read aloud series.

Monique Jarvis, Director of Communications and Corporate Partnerships, stated, “Reading aloud boosts literacy skills critical to student achievement, namely language acquisition; however, there is a significant gap in the number of words children from various socioeconomic backgrounds hear. According to the National Research Council, a child from a high-income household hears 215,000 words per week whereas a child from a low-income family hears 62,000 words per week.

Jarvis added, “LeAp provides educational arts programs that promote access and equity for New York City students underserved in the arts. We are so excited to launch this new read aloud series as a means of preparing our young learners for success!”

The books provided during the LeAp Spring Break Read Aloud series — now extended throughout April — were donated by First Books Care of Support from Wipro Technologies. These 120 books will now be donated to the schools that LeAp works in.

Check out LeAp’s Read Aloud Book List here!

LeAp banner


LeAp's National Poetry Month Facebook Live Read Aloud series helped LeAp to raise awareness around the critical importance of literacy for the young people we serve! Research shows becoming literate vastly improves economic opportunities, increases personal empowerment, provides measurable benefits for health and safety, and strengthens one’s relationships and civic engagement. Investing in literacy is not just important; it’s transformative. In addition to promoting the joy, expressiveness, and pure delight of poetry, LeAp's read aloud series was for youth aged 5-13 attending either elementary and/or middle school and feature multilingual readings of children's books that reflect the experiences of Latinx, African Americans, First Nations, and other people of color. LeAp has amassed a library of 120 social justice-themed books thanks to a grant from First Books! LeAp will donate all 120 books to the elementary schools we serve once the series is finished.


About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor Adams’ long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15.5 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.