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Families in 18 parishes will have the opportunity to participate in programs that promote literacy and family bonding this spring through a Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ Prime Time reading program.

Prime Time Family Reading, for ages 6-10, and Prime Time Preschool Reading, for ages 3-5, bring families together one night a week for six weeks for reading and discussion. A storyteller reads an award-winning children’s book and families are then guided through discussion of the themes found in the book. The discussion encourages families to personally connect with literature and each other and think beyond surface considerations of who, what, when, and where – by using open-ended questioning that spurs and encourages rich discussion across generations. For Preschool Reading, hands-on activities are incorporated to keep younger children engaged.

Prime Time programs are free for families and the partner organizations throughout the state that host them. Families also get to keep the books from the sessions to help build their home libraries. Prime Time’s spring reading programs are sponsored by BHP SE Coastal, Baptist Community Ministries, the Beaird Family Foundation, the Charles Lamar Family Foundation, the Shell Oil Company Foundation, the Union Pacific Foundation, and the WK Kellogg Foundation.

“More than 40 sites across the state of Louisiana will host a Prime Time program this spring and bring quality family literacy programs to their communities,” said Miranda Restovic, president and executive director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and Prime Time, Inc. “A Prime Time program is an opportunity for families to discuss their thoughts on deep topics and exchange ideas in a way that leads to a more meaningful connection between family members, while teaching children that it’s OK if we don’t always share the same opinions.”

Each Prime Time program is built around a book series examining themes such as caring, sustainability and inquiring. This spring, the St. Charles Parish Library will pilot Prime Time’s newest series, Nourish. Nourish explores the humanities themes found in our food options, traditions, and foodways. Families will explore how our lives are shaped by the foods we eat, and how we connect to our cultures and communities when we gather around a shared table. The series will be available to all program sites in fall 2022.

“It’s always exciting to announce a new Prime Time series,” LEH Vice President of Education Programs Shelley Stocker said. “We think Nourish will be a particularly relatable series for our Prime Time families in Louisiana, where we are so connected to each other and our culture through the food we eat and the gatherings that food inspire, and a wonderful opportunity for families to explore how that is also true throughout the world.”

Due to COVID-19, most programs will remain virtual again this semester.

In addition to Louisiana sites, Prime Time reading programs are hosted by state humanities councils throughout the United States. This spring, six states will offer Prime Time programs to