‘Books from Birth': WE-Spark Igniting Discovery grant to help provide resources and tools for new parents

Neelu Sehgal, Chief Nursing Executive, Erie Shores HealthCare, and Dr. Gelsea Pizzuto Serra of St. Clair College Research and Innovation

at the WE-Spark grants announcement in August, 2025. (St. Clair College Research and Innovation)

A researcher in the Research and Innovation department at St. Clair College has been awarded $20,000 from the WE-SPARK Igniting Discovery grant program to launch a project that promotes literacy beginning at birth.

Led by Dr. Gelsea Pizzuto Serra and the Research and Innovation department at St. Clair College, the ‘Books from Birth: Supporting Early Literacy Through Hospital-Based Interventions' program will be implemented at Erie Shores HealthCare in Leamington, Ont., providing new parents with age-appropriate books and resources before they leave the hospital.

Dr. Munira Sultana is the collaborator on the project from Erie Shores HealthCare, where the goal is to equip families with the tools and confidence to begin reading with their babies immediately, helping to close literacy gaps that are often seen when entering kindergarten.

The grant will also provide experiential learning opportunities for St. Clair College students, with one student from the Early Childhood Education program, one student from the Nursing program, and one student from the Data Analytics program, who will be hired to assist with the project.

This research responds to urgent needs in Windsor-Essex, where limited access to pediatric care and other intersecting barriers contribute to inequities in early childhood development.

"We're proud to see this project bring together community partners, students, and families to support early literacy in our region," said David Potocek, a Project Research Manager in the Research and Innovation Department at St. Clair College.

Families participating in the program will receive curated literacy packages developed with the support of Leading Young Learners, a group of early years teachers from the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario. Each package will include age-appropriate books and informational resources about early literacy and local community supports.

The three-month pilot will gather feedback from parents with the goal of leveraging insights into a larger initiative that could reach more families.

The grant represents a collaboration between St. Clair College, Erie Shores HealthCare, and Leading Young Learners from the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, advancing equitable approaches to literacy development, particularly for families in rural and under-resourced communities.

"Dr. Pizzuto Serra's work exemplifies the kind of grassroots innovation we champion at St. Clair College – research that begins in our communities and grows into transformative change," said Dr. Karamjeet K. Dhillon, the Director of Research and Innovation.

Dr. Gelsea Pizzuto Serra of St. Clair College Research and Innovation at the WE-Spark grants

announcement in August, 2025. (St. Clair College Research and Innovation)

Courtesy: https://www.stclaircollege.ca/news/2025/books-birth-we-spark-igniting-discovery-grant-help-provide-resources-and-tools-new