NBC Miami recently highlighted the positive impact New Worlds Reading has had on Florida families by interviewing parents and students who have seen direct results from the program, as well as Magda Morice, one of the initiative’s Family and Community Engagement Specialists.
New Worlds Reading is a free at-home literacy program for Florida students in Voluntary Prekindergarten through 5th grade who are not yet reading on grade level in VPK programs, public schools, or charter schools. It is administered by the UF Lastinger Center for Learning with Scholastic as its book partner. The program helps students bolster literacy skills, build reading confidence, and foster a lifelong love of reading. Students receive a new book that they choose each month from October through June, in addition to resources and activities carefully designed for families and children to use together.
To learn more about New Worlds Reading, visit: New Worlds Reading.
In the NBC Miami segment, Jahara Jourdan, a 10-year-old student in New Worlds Reading, said she used to avoid reading because she disliked it; now, she chooses to read in her free time after school, thanks to the program.
“It made me excited to get a package at my front door with my name on it for me,” Jahara said. “[My mom] might not know it, but when she goes back downstairs, I take my light from under my pillow, and I start reading books in the dark.”
Since 2021, New Worlds Reading has delivered more than 11 million books to more than 490,000 students. For the 2024-2025 school year, enrolled students made significant gains of up to 62% growth rates in reading assessment scores – growing faster than their eligible, non-enrolled peers.
To hear from other participants about what makes New Worlds Reading so special and how it is impacting Florida families, watch the full NBC Miami segment here: As reading proficiency lowers, Florida program works to bring the love of reading back