ECS4Kids families and community members gathered at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens on Oct. 17 for Wild Reading Safari, a morning filled with books, music, movement and plenty of smiles.
The free, family-friendly event celebrated the joy of reading and gave young children a chance to experience some of their favorite stories in a new way. Families enjoyed storytime with local celebrity readers, met beloved book characters including Clifford and Curious George, participated in yoga and music activities, and connected with community organizations at the resource fair.
This year’s celebrity readers included Congressman Aaron Bean; Curtis Dvorak, Community Ambassador for Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens; Tony Jenkins, Northeast Florida Market President for Florida Blue; Tenikka Hughes, Action News Jax anchor and youth literacy advocate’ and Melissa Ross, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Press Liaison for the City of Jacksonville. Jordan Wilkerson served as emcee for the morning.
Throughout the event, children gathered around the readers, interacted with characters and joined their families in activities designed to make learning active and fun. The excitement throughout the morning was a reminder that meaningful early learning can happen through simple moments of reading, playing and exploring together.
“We want children to discover early that reading is fun, because a love of reading can serve them throughout their lives,” said ECS4Kids CEO Dr. Natalya Bannister Roby. “Wild Reading Safari is designed to spark that excitement while bringing families together for a joyful day centered on books, learning and connection.”
ECS4Kids thanks the readers, volunteers, community partners and families who helped make this year’s Wild Reading Safari a success. Every child deserves a strong start, and that starts with opportunities to learn, connect and grow together.
