New Jersey Students Practice Reading Skills With Four-Legged Friends
CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) -- It was a day of reading and fun for some Camden County school kids on Wednesday. Students curled up with a good book and a furry friend at an area animal shelter.
Students from Brookfield Schools, ages 10 to 17, read to dogs at Camden County Animal Shelter.
The school serves kids with special needs. Organizers of the "Reading to the Rescued" say the program is two-fold, it helps improve the children's reading skills by reading out loud to a non-judgmental audience. And the attention shown for the dogs helps to socialize them and make them more adoptable.
Fifteen-year-old Ambiorix Ramirez says he used to be laughed at when reading out loud, but not anymore.
"I never had a program like this to help boost my reading skills," Ramirez said. "Me personally, I never really liked to read until I came to this school and joined this program and helped the younger kids start to read."
As part of the program students participated in a collection drive to help with shelter supplies.