GEORGIA (WALB) - For 15 years, the annual Georgia Pre-K Week, a collaboration between Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) and Voices for Georgia’s Children, has championed high-quality early childhood education and emphasized the power of community involvement in Pre-K.

This year, the spotlight shines on a special book, Every Amazing Story: A Writing Adventure with Coy and Malcolm, co-authored by Grammy award-winning guitarist for the Zac Brown Band, Coy Bowles, and former Georgia Bulldog and Super Bowl champion, Malcolm Mitchell.

Their advocacy is especially critical here in Georgia, where only about 32% of students read at or above proficiency, highlighting a statewide challenge.

“Knowing that literacy is the foundation of success, is one of the best things we can do to give back to our community. So it feels really good to partner with Malcom to write this book and know that it is going to go to so many kids in Georgia,” Bowles said.

Mitchell said, “That it won’t happen overnight, but if we stay committed the outcome will get to where we want to be. And those outcomes are that all of our students can grow up and be productive members of society. I am proud of Georgia, I am happy to be a Georgian and I hope that this book is a step down the path of inspiring the hope that Coy talked about.”

And that commitment is echoed in their book, Every Amazing Story, which takes young readers on a creative journey, showing every child they have a voice and a story worth telling.

For Georgia Pre-K week, WALB News 10’s Brittanye Blake read to Pre-K students at Bright Start Preschool Learning Center in Valdosta.

As Georgia focuses on improving literacy statewide, new initiatives are being rolled out to strengthen reading instruction and early learning programs.

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