The San Benito County Office of Education is hosting three parent and community informational nights this week to support reading in the county through participation in a free literacy program.

The first one will be held Tuesday, March 7 at San Juan School from 5-7 p.m., followed by a March 8 presentation at Spring Grove School and a March 9 event at Southside School, both from 5-7 p.m.

Participants will learn how to use the Footsteps2Brilliance program with their transitional kindergartener through third-grade student.

The Office of Education received a grant of nearly $4.3 million to fund the program. Last summer, County Superintendent of Schools Krystal Lomanto described the program as an app that, once downloaded, does not need data in order to run. It is in English and Spanish and tracks data for families and schools.

“We would like to launch this zero to third grade,” she said at the time. “Literacy is an issue in our community and we have issues within literacy, reading, English language arts. If we can make a difference within our community by providing access to all families, for free, they can download the app anywhere.”

The County Office of Education will work with the schools, but Lomanto's interest is to make it available to families. She said the app can recite nursery rhymes, write books, and help with vocabulary.

Participants at this week's events will learn how their birth to 5-year-old can take advantage of the free digital literacy program offered to all San Benito children. Everyone is encouraged to bring their mobile devices.