Dr. Ingrid Bynum, principal of Patrick Henry K-8 School in Alexandria, knows the difference that ONE book can make. A RIF book when she was in elementary school changed her life and put her on a path to academic and career success. Honored as RIF of NOVA's first ever "Literacy Luminary" during our 50th Anniversary Golden Galacelebration in October 2022, Dr. Bynum has now earned the title of Mrs. Virginia America 2023! In that role, she is focusing her efforts on children's literacy as she travels throughout Virginia to promote books and reading. She has designated RIF of NOVA as her nonprofit of choice during her one-year reign!
Dr. Ingrid Bynum (shown in the middle with two other contestants) was crowned Mrs. Virginia America 2023 in June.
As part of her year as Mrs. Virginia America, Dr. Bynum will travel the state to promote books and literacy. She is shown here with U.S. Representative Bobby Scott.
Book It For Books, RIF of NOVA's biannual fund- and fun-raiser, takes place on October 28, 2023 at Bluemont Park in Arlington, Virginia!
Why do we host a biannual 5K/One-Mile Run/Walk? This is how we fund the majority of book purchases for the children we serve. So please mark the date and sign on as a sponsor or donor to this majorly fun event! You can also sign up to run or walk by clicking here. Additional details can be found here!
Several more sponsors have signed on!!!
We can't wait for YOU to help, too!
Bookworm Central has signed on as a Pulitzer Prize level sponsor with a donation of $2,000 worth of new books! Children will be able to choose a book of their own at the 5K!
Meeting and Greeting: Our 2023/24 Young Ambassadors
RIF of NOVA's Young Ambassador Volunteer Program is continuing into its third academic year -- 2023-2024. The idea is to encourage young people in our community to provide other youngsters with books and to encourage the love of reading.
The five new ambassadors pictured here are amazing, and all have plans to help NOVA RIF with the important work of providing books for kids in the NOVA area. Read their bios and plans here! Two others are continuing in their YA roles: Camille Fallen and McKenzie Watt. We are so glad to have them all as part of our community!
Michelle Liu (and Milky)
Noah Isirimah
Marley-Grace Clift
Alexandra Kocsis
Avery Cañedo
Back to School -- Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers!
Back to school time can be a challenging transition for everyone. Reading Rockets is a national public media literacy initiative offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help. The Reading Rockets Back-to-School link is chockablock with ideas ranging from what parents should look for at back-to-school night to tips for first-year teachers to ideas to help English language learners. The site also offers several book lists with book ideas to help ready kindergartners for the newness of school and to ease older kids back into familiar school day routines.
Remembering Jim Abrams -- One of our Own
Former RIF of NOVA vice president Jim Abrams passed away late last month. Jim, along with his wife Jo Ann, have been longtime members of the RIF of NOVA community. Shown holding the baby in the photo below from our 2019 Book It For Books 5K, Jim was a vital part of RIF of NOVA's efforts to put books into the hands of Northern Virginia children. Jim's daughter Leslie Martin wrote more about her dad in a tribute that can be found here. The family has requested that memorial donations be directed to RIF of NOVA. Jim is already seriously missed.
If you'd like to give a donation in memory or in celebration of a special person, please let us know at rifnova@gmail.com. Through such a gift, the love of reading, books, and literature can be passed to a new generation of young readers in the Northern Virginia community.
If you are interested in donating new or very gently used children's books or in setting up a book drive to do so, we have set up some new guidelines to make the process easier. It's found on our Give Books website page. Click here to get there!
Thank you for any donation -- no matter how big or small! And thank you for being part of the RIF of NOVA community!
Please share the RAP! Forward our newsletter to your friends and anyone interested in providing books to children who need them!
