BeGreat Together partners with Made in KC and Rainy Day Books

Written By Micah Chrisman

BeGreat Together recently partnered with Made in KC and Rainy Day Books to raise funds to purchase multilingual books for Kansas City, Missouri Public Schools’ Global Academy student library. Our goal is to support students who have immigrated to the U.S. and help them preserve their cultural heritage and language while also learning English and adapting to life in Kansas City.

“Our ability to offer these books helps the kids. Our native language is a part of our identity—it’s who we are. And when kids move to the U.S. and are just beginning their time in English, they don’t have access to books to read for pleasure,” says Ryan Rumpf, principal at Global Academy. “Having the support like organizations like Made in KC and Rainy Day Books to help us promote multi-lingualism and multi-literacy is really heartwarming.”

Made in KC | Kansas City's premier destination for local goods, gifts, apparel, and more

Rainy Day Books | Kansas City’s Community Bookseller since 1975

Research has shown that reading bilingual books can have numerous positive outcomes for students, including increased vocabulary development and cognitive flexibility. According to the article, "Bilingual Picture Books: The Impact of Code-Switching on Language Development and Cross-Cultural Understanding", reading bilingual books can have a positive impact on language development and cross-cultural understanding. Here are some key insights from their research:

  1. Reading bilingual books allows students to practice both languages simultaneously. This can help improve vocabulary, grammar, and fluency in both languages.

  2. By exposing students to different cultures and languages, bilingual books can help promote cross-cultural understanding and empathy. This can lead to greater tolerance and appreciation for diversity.

  3. Students who read bilingual books have been found to have higher academic achievement than their peers who do not read bilingual books. This may be due to the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, such as improved executive function and problem-solving skills.

Additionally, teachers and staff at Global Academy have shared that students who check out books from the library are able to read with their parents at home. According to the U.S. Department of Education, parents who read to their children outside of school can help them improve their literacy capabilities, expand their vocabularies, and promote their social-emotional skills development. Parents reading with their kids not only brings them closer as a family, but it also increases student imagination and leads to better academic performance overall. 

Thanks to the generosity of community donors, Global Academy's library has been able to expand its collection of multilingual books, allowing students to learn to love reading and instilling a culture of learning. This initiative is a call to action for anyone who believes in the power of education. By investing in children's futures, we are building a better community that is empowering for all.

Micah Chrisman