Chinle Planting Hope Navajo Literacy Project Book Machine

The Navajo children and young adults, primarily. The book mobile helps Navajo children and families experience expanded educational opportunities.

• The Navajo Nation is the largest reservation by land area in the United States.
• 67 percent of third graders and 89 percent of high schoolers lack reading proficiency.
• 30-40 percent of families do not have electricity and running water in their homes.
• Many roads are unpaved dirt, unpassable when the rains come.
• Half of those who live on tribal land have access to high-speed internet.
• The nearest library is over 70 miles away.

With grants provided by the Rotary eClub of the State of Jefferson the book machine is a reality. Improving literacy is an accepted tool for developing lifelong skills for success. A number of factors influence literacy levels among the youth of the Navajo Nation. One issue is availability of reading materials. Another factor is the motivation to continue to read. Providing the book vending machine will address both factors. The young people will “earn” tokens by meeting reading criteria. They will then use the tokens to acquire a book of their own choosing.