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Knox Co. Mayor attends family literacy event at Pellissippi College

The goal of the event was to get children excited about reading. Participants had the chance to bring home a free book.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Families packed into Pellissippi State Community College Thursday night for a night filled with reading and family fun, along with Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs.

They gathered for a family literacy night, meant to help get kids excited about reading about inspire them to read more. The event included games parents could play with their children, a book walk and prizes.

"We know the importance of literacy, we know what these past few years have [done,] unfortunately," said Hope Denny, the program coordinator or childhood education at Pellissippi Community College. "Children have had limited opportunities, one, to engage in a community setting. And two, as it relates to a literary setting."

The event started at 6 p.m. and Mayor Jacobs read to the children who participated. 

According to 2020 data by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, the percentage of students who scored "proficient" or "advanced" on the TNReady reading and language test was just over 38% in Knox County. That was also before the COVID-19 pandemic.

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