Families arrived at Ventura Unified Education Center on October 8, 2016 for Storyfest, an annual event that promotes youth literacy and school readiness.

The event is put on by the Ventura Education Partnership (VEP) and the Ventura Neighborhood for Learning (VNfL).

Volunteers read to children inside story tents in English, Spanish and American Sign Language. Every child that went through the story tents received a free book.  

Local organizations had booths where parents could go to receive information on the services these organizations provide. Families had the opportunity to sign up for library cards at the event as well as to sit inside trucks and a fire engine as well as talk to local police officers and firefighters.

Shelia Wenzel, a family resource specialist, has been working at the booth for First5 at Storyfest for ten years. Wenzel loves how the event changes every year.

“The program and the event keeps growing and that’s really fun,” she said.