Teaching Children By Empowering Their Mothers

POMPANO BEACH (CBS4) - A program in South Florida is working to improve the literacy rate for kids, by helping their mothers.

Former Miami Dolphin Twan Russell and his wife Lysandra started the Russell Reading Rooms 12 years ago. Over the years, they've helped six thousand children become better readers.

The organization partners with the parks, such as the Mitchell Moore Park in Pompano Beach, where the kids go for after school programs. Since the children are already there, the Russell Reading Rooms brings reading to them.

"It's our responsibility to see the program, deal with the problem, and hope that there's fruit," Lysandra said.

Recently Lysandra started incorporating dance into the program. She first reads to the kids about dance and then teaches them ballet, hip hop, and jazz.

Now she hopes to get kids reading by giving their mothers a break. That's why she is starting the Dragonfly Darlings Women's Conference. Bank Atlantic is one of the sponsors of the event.

"We want a whole day of helping, healing, empowerment, and educating. So that hopefully they leave feeling good about themselves and hopefully will translate to the home," Dara Levan said.

Lysandra said "teaching (them) that once they have value, that it's transferable to the child."

The conference will take place on October 1st. For every paid person, a woman who couldn't afford to go will be given a ticket to attend for free. For more information on the conference go to russellreadingroom.com.