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It's September and it's Literacy Month! We are excited to once again be in the hustle and bustle of starting a new program year. This time of year for us is always the busiest, from training Campus Site Directors, to conducting over fifty Reading Buddy trainings, to attempting the impossible feat of getting all the eager volunteers matched and scheduled to start tutoring by the first week of October. It really is by some miracle that we make it all happen. But with lots of caffeine, candy and smiles we always manage to get through it.
We are looking forward to our upcoming Annual Breakfast and are glad that many of our Reading Buddies have already purchased a ticket. It's a great way to support SAYL, hear from our awesome Sheriff, and enjoy a delicious breakfast (yes, there will be bacon).
As we think about literacy this month I want us to always keep in mind what a privilege and blessing it is to have been given the gift of reading. Whether it was from our parents, a teacher or an adult mentor, I think it's important to always remember that the access to reading is not always equal for everyone in our city. There are lots of organizations working hard to ensure that, from the beginning, children have books in the home, that we educate parents on the importance of reading to our children, and that we work to help them attain grade level reading success by the time they begin 3rd grade. We are grateful to all of you who stand with us and who are willing give of your time and talent to raise up the children of San Antonio. Remember that we are always stronger together.
SAYL is looking forward to another great year!
Christina M. Martinez-Rodriguez
Executive Director
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| Thank You Dollar General! |
A special thanks goes to Dollar General for their Youth Literacy gift of $4,000.
Dollar General's Youth Literacy Grants provide funding up to $4,000 to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations to help students who are reading below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading. This year Dollar General distributed over 800 Youth Literacy grants throughout the United States, with SAYL being one of only four agencies in San Antonio to receive support. Thank you so much Dollar General for believing in our SAYL Reading Buddy Program.
SAYL is also happy to report the Strengthening Nonprofits Community Advisory Committee and Board of Directors of the San Antonio Area Foundation have approved a grant for SAYL to conduct the Core Capacity Assessment Tool. This assessment tool will allow the board and staff an opportunity to develop a plan for continued capacity building. Our tremendous growth in the last few years has been phenomenal and SAYL wants to ensure this continued program is successful and continues to serve as an important, viable partner in the community. This assessment tool will give us the needed guidance to make sure this happens. Thank you to San Antonio Area Foundation for believing in our mission and goals!
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Book Buddies is the new SAYL program aimed at reversing the decline in reading ability we see in kids over the summer. Through Book Buddies, children throughout San Antonio can give their outgrown or unneeded books so that another child can become a book owner. The books collected will be given away through spring book fairs to children who, in many cases, have no books at all in their homes. Our goal is to make every child a book owner!
Book drives are underway now at a number of locations. In the coming months we will announce new drives and drop-off locations where anyone can donate books suitable for kids in grades 1 through 6.
The Book Buddies Team will be holding an organizational/friend-raising meeting this Thursday, September 18, at 7 p.m. If you are interested in being part of the organizational committee please email [email protected] to RSVP.
In the meantime, if you or your neighbors or friends have gently-used books to share with our students, please email [email protected] or call Jane Welch at 210-493-3680. Watch this space for more Book Buddies news in the months ahead!
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| Tables of 8 & Individual Tickets Still Available! |
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Annual Breakfast
Wednesday, September 24
7:30 a.m.
Whitley Theological Center
285 Oblate Drive
We invite you to join us as we celebrate the SAYL Reading Buddy Program and hear from our own Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau as she shares with us a book that has impacted her.
Tables of 8 Available
Special Reading Buddy Individual Tickets at $35
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New Reading Buddies Needed!
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Registration for our Fall 2014 Reading Buddy Program is now open!
Check out the list of upcoming trainings and register to attend a one time, two hour training today!
www.sayl.org
(returning Reading Buddies do not need to reapply)
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Stay Connected with SAYL!
 
San Antonio Youth Literacy [email protected] | www.sayl.org |
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