Mayor Barlow Announces Start Of New “Read It! Club” Literacy Initiative

OSWEGO – Mayor Billy Barlow announced today the City of Oswego has created and launched a new literacy initiative to encourage and incentivize children to read at home.

The initiative, developed by the City of Oswego Office of Economic Development and sponsored by The Press Box Restaurant, allows for children to register with the program and receive a calendar to track their reading.

“The City of Oswego is excited to partner with the Press Box to launch a new literacy initiative as we continue to develop new and creative ways to keep our children reading and learning outside of the classroom,” Barlow said. “Our ‘READ IT! Club’ is just one more way that city government is stepping up to serve our youth, provide Oswego families the resources and programs they need, and highlight the importance of child literacy.”

If children complete the daily goal of 20 minutes per day, they’ll receive a free pizza every month from The Press Box restaurant, located at 29 East First Street, Oswego.

“We are thrilled to partner with Mayor Barlow and the City of Oswego to offer a free pizza incentive to excite and inspire children to read,” said Alison Canale Scanlon of the Press Box.

Families interested in participating in the “READ IT! Club” should contact the City of Oswego Economic Development Office located at 44 East Bridge Street, call 315-343-3795, email Amy Murphy at [email protected], or visit the “City of Oswego’s READ IT! Club” page on Facebook for instructions.

Families are encouraged to sign up for the program to receive their tracking calendar by November 1, when the first month’s reading goal begins. At the end every month, calendars will need to be returned to the Economic Development Office to receive the free pizza coupon.

The new literacy initiative follows a 2019 initiative the City of Oswego conducted with the Oswego City School District and the Literacy Coalition called “One District, One Book” that used a $22,000 city grant to provide students with a free book to read and keep.

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