Kristen Flood and the UMSL Writers Group aim to collect 300 books for local preschoolers

UMSL Daily

Early childhood education major and UMSL Writers Group President Kristen Flood displays one of the donation boxes for the Riverview Gardens book drive in front of the Triton Store. Flood says reading is a favorite activity for her own son, Lucas, whom she reads to for 30 minutes – at minimum – every day.  (Photo by August Jennewein)
Kristen Flood remembers a time when she absolutely hated reading.
The University of Missouri–St. Louis undergrad was tested for reading proficiency early on in elementary school and was thought to be below reading level. She received reading tutoring and support, and a few years later, by fifth grade, she not only met the reading requirements for her grade level but far surpassed them.
Before long, she was entering reading contests and reading a book a week. At one point she even aimed to read a book a day.
Looking back, Flood believes the change came about not because of anything having to do with her own abilities, but because of the time and effort the reading specialists and her teachers put into helping her engage with books.
“Before then I don’t think anyone had really taken the time to bring books to life for me, to introduce me to the whole world of reading and what reading could mean and do,” Flood says. “I think that’s what really made all the difference.”
Now Flood is personally committed to introducing other young children to that powerful world.
The early childhood education major – and self-published author who has three novels under her belt – has recently helped to spearhead a book drive which will benefit local children at the Riverview Gardens Early Childhood Educational Center. Flood and the UMSL Writers Group, of which she is president, hope to collect 300 books for the center over the course of the next month.
The idea came to Flood ...

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