ST. GEORGE, Utah — The Utah Humanities Council’s Motheread/Fatheread program was introduced this week to residents of the Shivwits Indian Reservation and other Native American families in nearby St. George.

Motheread/Fatheread is a family literacy program that builds communication, parenting skills, critical thinking and literacy skills through the reading and discussion of selected multicultural children’s books. Major funding for Motheread/Fatheread is provided by the Utah Power Fund of the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning, the charitable arm of Utah Power.

Funding from the Foundation has provided Motheread/Fatheread training for 200-plus Head Start and Even Start instructors, who utilize the program to help parents become “reading role models” by increasing the amount of time they read and discuss stories with their children. Reading with young children is essential to building a solid foundation for success in school. The Motheread/Fatheread program has successfully expanded to serve 28 of Utah’s 29 counties since it was first introduced to the state in 1996.

“The importance of story in our lives, including myth, fable and oral family stories, is crucial in passing on cultural knowledge and family history,” said Motheread/Fatheread Program Director Pippa Keene. “Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of many Native American cultures, and the Motheread/Fatheread program provides additional tools to aid in teaching children through reading.”

Program director Pippa Keene; Lora Tom, Chairwoman of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah; and other instructors met with parents on the Shivwits Reservation to explain the program, discuss the importance of reading with children, and distribute books. Later, at the Reservation’s after-school tutoring program, instructors took part in a “storytelling” session with 35 children and distributed books provided by the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning and Bank One.

“Growing up, reading wasn’t a big part of my childhood and I think that is common among many Native American families,” said Brittanni Wero, instructor with the Shivwits after-school tutoring program. “Parents were excited to see the Native American-themed books used in the program. By discussing these stories, we learn to explore our feelings and relate our own lives to the experiences we are reading about.”  

A meeting was also held in St. George, to introduce the program to other Native American parents, distribute books and discuss the importance of both reading and storytelling for children’s success in school. According to Karma Grayman, Washington County Indian Education, more than 500 Native American families live in St. George, from tribes including Navajo, Sioux, Cherokee, Zuni, Apache and Mohave.