Guided reading, painting literacy workshop planned

ALBANY — Local arts and cultural center Renaissance Connection will host “Journey with Saba” alongside the Tallahassee-based Home of Reads Initiative on Jan. 12, during which children will take part in the first part of a guided reading about Saba, an Ethiopian girl. The free event is open to 25 students in grades 5-8. Participants will receive a free copy of Jane Kurtz’s “Saba: Under the Hyena’s Foot,” participate in a painting project and perhaps take the Saba Pledge.

When 12-year-old Saba is kidnapped and brought to the emperor’s palace in Gondar, she learns that she and her brother are part of the emperor’s desperate attempt to consolidate political power.

HORI Creator Makisha Cheeks said she reached out to Renaissance Art Café owner Femi Anderson after seeing Anderson’s “wonderful cultural activities.” Thus, the café will facilitate a creative project where children can draw and paint either an aspect of the reading or of Ethiopia.

“We’re, first, going to do some engagement activities to teach them a little bit about the setting of the story,” Cheeks said. “Then we’re going to introduce them to this character. … The Saba Pledge is where students will decide whether or not they want to go on this journey with Saba, agree to read the book and agree to give this their full active attention where they actually want to learn more about Ethiopia.”

According to Cheeks, HORI emphasizes diversity in literature, promotes literacy one home at a time and holds workshops throughout the South to get the entire family to read more. One of the projects Cheeks said guides HORI’s workshops is Home Literacy Acclimation.

“Young people are going to model and mimic what they see at home and also what’s in their community,” Cheeks said. “So if I see mom, or if I see grandma, dad, grandpa, brothers or sisters reading, that encourages me to do more reading as well.”

Cheeks mentioned that HORI will return to Albany for multiple workshops and literacy lessons to improve students’ vocabulary, skills and help them “make universal connections to reading.”

“Journey with Saba” is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Renaissance Art Café will host the event at its 123 N. Front St. location. Parents can register their children by searching “Journey with Saba” on www.Eventbrite.com. More information about HORI can be found at www.HomeofReads.com or on the initiative’s Facebook page.

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