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Reading Buddy Times

An eNewsletter for Volunteers & Friends of SAYL

May 21, 2014

 

In the blink of an eye, another school year came and went.  Where does the time go? My nine year old will be entering fourth grade next year and my daughter turns two in August.   Just a year and half ago I was a brand new Executive Director.  My job was to help turn SAYL around: make sure our program was sound and relevant, bring up our communications and branding so that we are seen as an organization moving the needle in education, and lastly, to fundraise. 

 

This past year has been hard.  We have worked our tails off and I am incredibly grateful to all of you who stood by our side, many of you have been with us for several years.  I am grateful to our staff who work to make sure all of you are trained, placed and happy in the schools. I am thankful to our board who has rallied behind the organization this year to make sure we had the funding we needed to keep the doors open and the lights on.  

 

The stories are pouring in from our Reading Buddies, telling us how they will miss their students.  Stories of successful 2nd graders who are reading so much better than when we first saw them. Stories of empathy and revelation when collectively we realize just how many little babies are out there and how hard their lives are.  It is these stories that compel me everyday to make sure that we keep growing and getting better at what we do.

 

We have plans this summer to add more schools and to recruit more volunteers.  We are working with our district partners to more closely align with what they do so that we are seen as another extension of their work.  We are adding more books to our trunk libraries.  We are ready to be bigger and bolder!

 

We hope you follow our story along the way, and we hope to see all of you back in September.  Cheers to another school year and to all of you!

 

Sincerely, 

  

Christina M. Martinez-Rodriguez

Executive Director

Super Hero Literacy Dinner a Success!
On Wednesday, April 30 we honored and roasted our Founder, Harriet Marmon Helmle, and celebrated our 30th Anniversary at our Super Hero Literacy Event!  We packed the Pearl Stable with over 400 guests.  Life-size Super Hero cut-outs filled the stage of our honoree, Harriet, our evening's Emcee, Ed Whitacre, and Roasters: Priscilla Ardoin, Dr. Jesse Delee, Bill Greehey, and Harvey Najim.

 

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event such a huge success! With your help we were able to raise $200,000!  We are greatly appreciative to the sponsors who made this event possible. Together we can continue to positively impact the lives and futures of the children in San Antonio and across South Texas.

 

Check out a recap of the event via the video below. For a complete list of our sponsors please visit our website, www.sayl.org. 

SAYL - Thank You SAYL Reading Heroes!
SAYL - Thank You SAYL Reading Heroes!

 

Summer Storytime Volunteers Needed
 
We are looking for a few volunteers (between 4-5) to assist with reading stories to children on the 3rd Tuesdays of each month during the summer at the Witte Museum.  The museum will provide the books to read, and the volunteers will take turns reading.  H-E-B Buddy will be there, and H-E-B's Read 3 program will be providing books for the children.  The storytime is from 3-5 p.m.  The Witte Museum has free admission from 3-8 p.m. on Tuesdays, and volunteers are welcome to stay after the story time to walk through the museum.
 
Story Time Dates:
Tuesday, June 17
Tuesday, July 15
Tuesday, August 19
 
If you are interested in volunteering for storytime or have any questions please contact Mary Flannigan at mary.flannigan@sayl.org or call us at our office, 210-299-1533.
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
This Thursday, May 22!
Cocktails for a Cause
Join us for our 2nd Cocktails for a Cause at Blue Box Bar! A percentage of all drink sales between 5-8pm will be donated to SAYL!  Hourly raffle prizes! Free admission! Hope to se you there!
 
Check out all the latest happenings with SAYL via sayl.org

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San Antonio Youth Literacy    info@sayl.org www.sayl.org 
1616 E. Commerce, Building 2
San Antonio, TX 78205


Volunteer and Site Director of the Month!
 Volunteer of the Month
Steve Phillips

Our Volunteer of the Month is Steve Phillips, Reading Buddy at Harmony Hills Elementary. He has been involved with SAYL for a few years now, and continues to be passionate about encouraging his students to get excited about reading,  "When I first started the program I would walk into any classroom and the students would be jumping with their hands raised asking me to please take them.....I love it." Phillips stresses. "A child's education has many facets. You could be a genius but without confidence you may flitter it away, without self-esteem no one would care - right?" Phillips' love and pride for his students is evident to anyone watching one of his tutoring sessions, which is why we wish to recognize him this month!  "When I sit in the library with my students and they get through a tough sentence we high five, giggle and generally disrupt the people around us.  The students get huge smiles on their faces and I can tell they are proud of what they have just done. They are excited about reading!" 

Site Director of the Month 
Valerie Kozlovsky
 

Our Site Director for the Month of May is Valerie Kozlovsky at Loma Park Elementary. We would like to recognize Valerie for always going above and beyond her Site Director duties. We couldn't help but notice that Valerie always has a smile on her face when greeting the volunteers and is extra eager to help in any way that she can.  Valerie feels that it is important to be involved with community service as "Service is a great way to help a community that lacks the resources it needs to thrive. The experience of volunteering through community service is like giving a present - it feels good to give to someone else because you receive that feeling of gratitude and appreciation from the people you help. When you work one-on-one with a student you build a relationship that affects your life in a lot of positive ways and the realization of the result of your work, such as helping someone read, is such an amazing feeling."

  


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