WLWT: UC College of Medicine Resident Founds Literacy Program at Hoxworth Clinic
A fourth-year College of Medicine resident is the driving force behind the launch and success of a national childhood literacy program introduced at UC’s Hoxworth Clinic last summer. Her story is featured on WLWT’s “Issues” program with Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney.
Despite the time commitment of a dual residency in the University of Cincinnati's Internal Medicine and Pediatrics programs, fourth-year College of Medicine resident Jessica Gillespie found time to investigate and seek funding through UC’s Proudly Cincinnati campaign to launch Hoxworth Clinic’s first childhood literacy program.
“Reach Out & Read” promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to low-income, disadvantaged children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.
After other attempts to bring the program to UC for at least a decade, Gillespie championed the program at Hoxworth last summer and has since partnered with UC’s Literacy Department in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services to expand the program with new research.
Learn more about the program’s growth, impact and need for ongoing support. Watch the full interview of WLWT’s June 10 “Issues” program. The interview begins at the 6 minutes, 30 seconds mark of the archived video.