Kids in Imperial Beach have a new opportunity to hone their cursive skills at the Imperial Beach Library, 810 Imperial Beach Blvd.  Starting January 3, the library is launching a Cursive Club aimed at elementary school students.  The Cursive Club will take place every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., with students spending the first three Tuesdays of each month practicing cursive, and the last Tuesday of each month creating greeting cards for local hospital patients, convalescent home residents, and overseas military.  Kids are welcome to join at any time throughout the program and no registration is required.

Schools across the country are debating the importance of cursive and whether it’s necessary in the digital age.  In the New York Times article, The Case for Cursive, proponents of the style point out that a cursive signature is more difficult to forge than a print signature and that those who cannot write in cursive also cannot read cursive, which can become a communication concern.  Sandy Schefkind, a pediatric occupational therapist, is also mentioned in the article, reporting that learning cursive helps students hone their fine motor skills.

“The mission of SDCL is to inform, educate, inspire, and entertain. We hope to educate the youth of our community with ‘Cursive Club,’ and help to create a safer community by giving children a place to go after school,” said library staff member Shayna Rians. “I’m hopeful that the outreach aspect of this program will help inform our community that we’re more than just books – that we’re a vital part of this neighborhood.”

For more information about the Cursive Club at the Imperial Beach Library, contact branch staff at (619) 424-6981.