Special to the Herald

RINCON – Rincon Mayor Kevin Exley, along with Mayor Pro Tem Mona Underwood and Councilmember Tim Milner, visited Rincon Elementary School April 25 to celebrate Read Across Effingham Day and launch the Mayor’s Reading Club, a statewide literacy initiative supported by Georgia Forward and the Georgia Municipal Association.

The city leaders read to kindergarten and first-grade students and introduced the new program to two third-grade classrooms. As part of Rincon’s commitment to improving childhood literacy, Mayor Exley announced that the city will purchase a book for every third-grade student at Rincon Elementary and provide a new bookshelf filled with books for the school library.

At the city council meeting April 28, the City of Rincon issued an official proclamation, declaring April 25, as “Mayor’s Reading Club Day.” The event was attended by Rincon Elementary Principal Karla Clayton and Assistant Principals Melissa Long and Janine Manior, who expressed their support for the program.

The proclamation reads in part, “Research shows that children who can’t read proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to experience poor health, have discipline problems, and drop out of high school; and

“Each year in the United States, low literacy levels are linked to hundreds of billions of dollars in non-productivity, healthcare, and judicial costs; and

“68% of Georgia fourth graders do not read proficiently; and

“Collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships must be undertaken to address literacy issues; and

“The goal of the program is to improve literacy skills and overall success with early reading among children and youth in Georgia cities through encouragement, support, and leadership from city mayors …”

“We are so grateful for the support from Mayor Exley and the City of Rincon,” said Clayton. “The Mayor’s Reading Club puts books in the hands of our students and shows them that their community believes in their potential. This partnership makes a lasting impact on our young readers.”

The proclamation recognizes literacy as a critical factor in education, economic development, public health, and quality of life.

“Through programs like this, we’re not just encouraging students to read—we’re helping to build a brighter future,” said Mayor Exley. “Literacy is the foundation of opportunity, and we are proud to invest in our children through the Mayor’s Reading Club.”