The Gus Bus (formerly The Reading Road Show) was developed in 2002 through a collaborative effort among eight agencies. A 17-month Early Learning Opportunity Act Grant funded the program, which literally took reading on the road for children birth to age five.
This program has four main goals:
- To provide a free book bag exchange program containing high quality, culturally diverse children’s literature.
- To increase the amount of time families spend reading together.
- To educate parents on the importance of reading to their preschool children.
- To teach parents and daycare providers appropriate reading techniques through activities on Gus the Bus.
These goals are accomplished through Gus the Bus, a mobile literacy component of the Reading Road Show. Gus is a custom equipped vehicle which serves the city of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
Last year, Gus traveled 15,000 miles and made regular visits to over 40 sites.
As Gus visits local neighborhoods and daycare centers, up to twenty-five children and their parents can be onboard at once partaking in storytelling activities.
Gus also operates as the delivery system for Raising a Reader – an international book bag exchange program for children birth to age five. Each child receives a red book bag filled with four age-appropriate, culturally diverse books. After a week of reading and re-reading the books, children return the red book bag and in exchange, they receive a new one with different books – and new worlds to explore.
In 2006 & 2007 alone, The Gus Bus and The Reading Road Show’s literacy efforts have reached over 2,000 children in the Valley through regular visits to the following locations:
- 30 family daycare providers
- 11 daycare centers
- 20 pre-kindergarten classrooms
- 30 neighborhood sites