Duval Times

Mayor Deegan of Jacksonville will be launching the River City Readers Literacy Initiative on January 27th. The kickoff event will take place at the Jacksonville Public Library, Main Branch, where attendees will have the opportunity to participate in various activities and receive free books and backpacks.

The event will feature a special performance by author Vincent Taylor and appearances by Jaxson de Ville, the ROAR Cheerleaders, and the Jaguars D-Line. Additionally, PBS Kids Characters will be present to entertain and engage the young attendees.

One of the main highlights of the initiative is the introduction of a free app called Beanstack. Mayor Deegan will challenge all attendees, as well as the entire city, to download the app. Through Beanstack, children and their caregivers will be able to log their reading minutes with the goal of reading at least 20 minutes per day.

"The River City Readers Literacy Initiative aims to foster a love for reading and promote literacy among our city's youth," Mayor Deegan expressed. "By encouraging children to read for at least 20 minutes a day, we hope to instill a lifelong habit of reading and improve literacy rates in our community."

At the end of the year, the top young readers in the city, as determined by their reading minutes logged on Beanstack, will be rewarded with prizes. This incentive aims to motivate children to engage in regular reading and develop their reading skills.

The event will also provide boxed lunches for attendees, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy a meal while participating in the literacy initiative.

The River City Readers Literacy Initiative kickoff event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 27th. Mayor Deegan invites all members of the community to join this important initiative and make a difference in the lives of Jacksonville's youth.

As Mayor Deegan emphasized, "Together, we can create a city of avid readers and empower our children with the valuable skill of literacy."