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Northwestern University’s communication honor society Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) is launching a partnership with Reading in Motion, a Chicago-based reading program for elementary school students living in high risk areas. The partnership will have Northwestern students using art and music to teach reading to children in kindergarten through third grade.

“This is the first year that LPH has had philanthropy,” said junior Natalie Tapaskar, philanthropy director for LPH. “We are trying to be pioneers and start something new.” Tapaskar found the organization online and chose it because it fits with the mission of the honor society.

Reading in Motion says that three times as many students in their curriculum meet grade level reading requirements than children outside the program. ”Reading In Motion lesson plans allow children to get out from behind their desks and use their entire bodies and minds to master reading skills,” reads the website.  “These engaging activities are carefully tailored to the grade and developmental level of the students.”

In brainstorming project ideas, LPH members proposed bringing the Reading in Motion students to campus for events, creating online program tutorials for parents and holding a book drive.

On campus, LPH has also started a new mentoring program where Communication freshmen are paired with LPH members in their majors to answer questions about their freshman experience. Fliers advertising the program were placed in the orientation folders of incoming Communication freshmen, Parikh said.

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