Reading Rainbow is back on Kickstarter

Kickstarter has become the new hotbed for inventions and causes to absolutely take off.  Sometimes, even companies with established names need the backing and support to make things work.

Enter Reading Rainbow, the once giant children’s reading program is looking to gets it legs back under it.

LeVar Burton, the face of Reading Rainbow, is undertaking the monumental task to help bring the ability to read to everyone across the world.  His mission is to bring Reading Rainbow back to every child everywhere.

At this point in time, 1 in 4 children will grow up to be illiterate.  While that number is staggering, studies show that kids who can’t read by 4th grade are also 400% more likely to fail to complete high school.  Even more alarming, Burton noted that in 2011 America was the only free-market country in the world where the current generation was less educated than the previous one.

While Reading Rainbow launched in 1983 on television, the show went off the air in 2006.  Burton then launched a tablet based app that has been well received, but is not accessible by all.  As noted in the diagram, the goal of Reading Rainbow is to be completely accessible for everyone.

Burton is looking to raise over $1,000,000 for Reading Rainbow to develop an online library, a specialized version of the program to be incorporated into classroom learning, and also a free version of the software to schools in need.

While the amount of money is substantial, the goal and purpose is also beyond commendable.  Should Reading Rainbow be able to get its product in front of a large audience in schools, the ability to help bridge the gap that has been created amongst children and literacy could be huge.  Head on over to the Kickstarter page if you feel so moved to help out the cause.