Video: UW-Madison partners with MMSD for literacy

On May 11, more than 200 Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) students participated in a fun musical program stressing the importance of literacy and self-esteem.

Held in the Capitol Theater of the Overture Center, “Ready, Set, Read” featured students from Thoreau Elementary School and Leotha Stanley, a well-known local musician and UW–Madison’s assistant to the director of community relations.

Stanley spends six to eight weeks at different MMSD elementary schools implementing the program. Students performed in a culminating concert using music as a key to highlight literacy and self-esteem.

“I use music as a common bond for all the kids, so that they’re all at the same level while they sing,” Stanley says. “It’s not about how well they read at the time, it’s about building their self esteem and their interest level so that they want to read and become good students in school.”

Watch an MMSD-TV video of the full program.