Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Zeke Hernandez (right) presents children from the Santiago Canyon College Child Development Center with books for the holidays.

Recently, the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) Board of Trustees shared the gift of reading with youngsters enrolled at Santiago Canyon College’s Child Development Center. Trustee Zeke Hernandez and Student Trustee Gregory Pierot visited the center along with Vice Chancellor Enrique Perez, J.D., and Santiago Canyon College President John Hernandez, Ph.D.

Trustee Hernandez visited a preschool classroom and read aloud Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr., and Eric Carle. This colorful children’s book helps toddlers identify zoo animals and the noises they make. Pierot read In the Tall Tall Grass by Denise Fleming. This lively children’s book introduces children to the sights and sounds of animals that live in and around tall grass. President Hernandez read Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann. This fun children's book follows the antics of a gorilla who is not ready to go to sleep, as the zookeeper would like.

Following story time, the trustees stopped by each classroom and presented every child with the gift of a book. Each book included a copy of RSCCD's Tips for Reading Aloud with Children. The tips include:

• Read to children from birth-short board books are best for babies.
• Find a quiet comfortable place to read-make sure your child can see the pictures.
• Select books with great pictures and rhyming words to engage children.
• Read a variety of books, but repeat favorites.
• Use enthusiasm and expression when reading-use sounds and gestures.
• Alter stories by putting in your child’s name.
• Ask question and have children make predictions about the story.
• Read every day to children - make reading a habit!

The Santiago Canyon College Child Development Center (SCC CDC) serves children from 2 to 5 years of
age. The Center offers a full day program from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The
curriculum used by RSCCD Child Development Services (CDS) is the High Scope Curriculum, which
is based on active learning. RSCCD CDS believes that children learn best through hands-on
experiences with people, materials, events, and ideas. The SCC CDC teachers support the children's
current level of thinking and challenge them to advance to the next stage through support and
differentiated instruction.

For more information, please contact Janneth Linnell, RSCCD director of Child Development Services at Linnell_Janneth@rsccd.edu or (714) 480-7546.