Visit to Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy Spotlights Importance of Children in Society

ERIE COUNTY, NY— Today, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz joined elected officials, community members, and members of the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York in celebrating “El Dia del Niño” or “Day of the Child” at the Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy in Buffalo. Celebrated annually on April 30^th, the Day of the Child recognizes the importance of children in society and encourages them to practice good citizenship, learn about healthy eating, and build literacy skills. The theme for this year’s event was “Literacy, Nutrition, Good Stewardship.”

“I greatly enjoyed reading to the first grade class at Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy this morning,” said Poloncarz. “They were attentive, asked good questions and were a lot of fun to be with.”

Beginning in 1996, literacy and language gained importance in the “Day of the Child” as grass roots organizations, libraries, and universities worked collaboratively to bring literary components to the forefront. Today, the “Day of the Child” not only recognizes and honors the importance of children and childhood, but also promotes bilingual and multilingual literacy while influencing parents to become more involved in the education of their children.