Valdosta State University’s Odum Library and James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education will host Read Fest 2016 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 15, on the West Hall front lawn.
 
Brett Williams, marketing librarian, noted that more than 240 prekindergarten students from Clyattville Elementary School, Dewar Elementary School, Moulton Branch Elementary School, Lake Park Elementary School, and Westside Elementary School are scheduled to attend the 10th annual event. The children will spend the morning participating in a variety of activities, including puppet shows, games, crafts, read-along stories, coloring, and singing. They will enjoy ice cream from V State Dining and take home a goody bag with a new book provided by the Student Council of the International Reading Association.   
 
Read Fest is just one of VSU’s many community outreach literacy initiatives, all of which are designed to help children build literacy skills, gain confidence, and be more motivated to want to read for both pleasure and study. It is supported by donations from Chick-fil-A at North Valdosta, Chartwells, Follett, and VSU’s Student Council of the International Reading Association.
 
Read Fest is part of the university’s celebration of National Library Week, April 10-16.