Emma Course Email & Phone Number

Assist over 50 Pediatric Clinic offices who incorporate the Reach Out and Read Program into well-child visits for children 6 months - 5 years of age. Doctors give an age-appropriate new book to children and talk with parents about the importance of reading every day with their kids. This encourages a natural attachment to books and reading which boosts vocabulary skills, making them better-prepared when they enter school. The Reach Out and Read Program is a premier program of the American Academy of Pediatrics, California, Chapter 4.The American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 4, (AAP, OC) is a community organization and affiliate of National AAP. AAP, OC is committed to delivering innovative, sustainable services to promote health and well-being for all Orange County children by promoting access to health care, and to ensure that children receive comprehensive quality care in a medical home. Our advocacy efforts support high quality health care by creating a strong voice for children’s health through community outreach and creating collaborative partnerships. We also facilitate a higher quality of health care by providing continuing education for our members and partners, as well as community education expertise and resources for Orange County children and their families.Our mission statement is to attain optimal health and well-being of children in Orange County through excellence, education, and expertise. AAP, OC was founded in 1982 as the 4th California chapter. We represent 500 Orange County member pediatricians and surgical subspecialists.

As Coordinator of the Reach Out and Read Program at CHOC Children's Hospital, I purchased and distributed the book supply to participating Primary-Care physicians, for use during the well-child visit of children ages 6 months - 5 years old. I provided doctors with other literacy materials such as, Parent Tip-Sheets for reading aloud, booklist of recommended reading, evidenced-based research on the efficacy of the Reach Out and Read Program - anything to help enforce the message they were giving to parents on the importance of reading aloud every day with their children. I communicated with and reported on the number of children we were reaching to National Reach Out and Read in bi-yearly reports.I trained and coordinated a variety of Volunteer Readers who read aloud to children in the waiting area, demonstrating good reading techniques and speaking with parents about ways they can also share a book with their child.I accepted donations of new and used books from individuals and corporations, including generous and very large book drives put on by Barnes & Noble Booksellers over a 10 year period. I distributed these donations to all areas of the hospital and clinics.I provided opportunities to various community groups (Boy/Girl Scouts, Junior League, elementary schools, etc.) who wanted to touch the lives of children visiting and staying at CHOC Children's. These included outside activities such as organizing book drives or read-a-thons, as well as in-clinic parties/events aimed at brightening the day of visitors and guests.The best part of my day however, was when I was given the opportunity to read aloud to kids myself out in the waiting area, or even the few times I was asked to come up into the hospital and spend time sharing a book with a child at their bedside . Storytelling and bringing a book to life, and sharing the experience together with a child was something I was unbelievably lucky to do.