HONOLULU (KHON2) — She’s a former competitive figure skater, grabbing Olympic gold in 1992.
Kristi Yamaguchi is also an author, appearing on the New York Times Best Seller list.
She is back in Hawaii for a couple of events. Yamaguchi is attending an annual gala, plus a public reading event at Ala Moana Center on April 29.
She joined Wake Up 2day to talk about those events.
Yamaguchi also discussed her childhood literary program “Always Dream”. Here’s a closer look at the program, according to its website: The Always Reading Program provides families a digital tablet and a curated library of high-quality, age appropriate books for kindergartners. A book coach supports families and teachers to encourage parent engagement and promote the development of at-home reading routines.
More information about Always Dream can be found on their website.
“As a mother and a children’s author, I felt compelled to direct the focus of Always Dream and to make early childhood literacy in under-served communities our core mission. The statistics are staggering and served as my motivation to become actively engaged in the cause of literacy. Always Dream is now focused on building awareness around the importance of in-home reading and on empowering low-income families with the tools necessary to level the playing field. We do this by providing access to high-quality books in the home via 21st century technology, all while engaging parents to become active participants in their child’s everyday learning. When kids build a love of reading, they move from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” This milestone is undeniably transformative, opening doors to new possibilities and dreams,” Yamaguchi said of the program.
