On September 15, Salt River Schools’ Literacy for All Project Manager Trinidad Yazzie and Community Literacy Advocate Wendy Jefferson donated various art supplies and books to the Salt River Police Department (SRPD).

The donated items included two children’s games, card games, 20 books for young children, 10 coloring books with crayons, and four small bags of books with four board books per bag for pre-K children.

“While Trinidad was assisting me, she asked me if SRPD would like books, games and puzzles that officers could give to the children of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community,” said SRPD Off. Christopher Davis.

“What Trinidad and Wendy did for the SRPD will assist the department with Community policing. But, more importantly, it will make many of the children at SRPMIC happy.”

The SRPD is partnering with Native Youth Community Projects (NYCP) to create a Community children’s book that provides a short insight on what the SRPD is all about and what they do for the Community. “We are hoping SRPD continues to create more books for young readers and families,” said Yazzie.

“NYCP has several projects within our grant for Salt River Schools focusing on literacy, culture, college and careers.”

Salt River Schools was awarded a four-year grant in August 2018, and this is the fourth year of the grant.

NYCP has four major goals:

• Improve the pathway to college and career readiness, emphasizing the jobs within the Community, as well as college applications and scholarships.
• Instill a self-determined habit of reading from infancy to adulthood through book distribution and literacy training.
• Strengthen cultural connections, autonomy and habits of reading in the home through the creation, publication and distribution of culturally relevant books.
• Conduct a literacy campaign that educates and engages the Community and employs youth to develop workforce skills.

If anyone in the Community would like to create or receive books for their children, or if you’d like additional information on current Literacy for All projects, email Literacy@saltriverschools.org or text Wendy Jefferson at (480) 878-8604.