The Official Newsletter of Read to a Child |
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A Thanksgiving Message from Read to a Child's CEO, Paul Lamoureux |
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This is traditionally the time of year that we look back and reflect on the many things we have to be thankful for, despite the fact that this year has continued to bring hardship to so many. In a time of continued uncertainty & instability - we are grateful to the Read to a Child community that continues to help us serve our mission and reach our students - who need us now more than ever!
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Thank you to our school partners, who continue to value our partnership in an evolving virtual and in-person landscape. Thank you to our corporate partners, donors, and board members, who provide invaluable resources to sustain our organization. Thank you to our volunteer reading mentors, who are the backbone of our organization. And thank you to our students and their families for their belief in our Read Aloud Mentoring Program and the importance of developing a love of reading. I want to add a special thank you to the staff at Read to a Child. It has truly been an "all-hands-on-deck" year and everyone has worked tirelessly to enable the organization to continue to pivot to "meet the moment!" In bringing our programs virtual, everyone has contributed in numerous ways. I am humbled, honored - and sincerely thankful.
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2021 Read Aloud Mentoring Program Kick-off |
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The Read Aloud Mentoring Program has kicked-off across all five regions for the 2021-2022 school year and each week additional school partners launch RAMP in their schools. We are so excited to welcome back our incredible volunteer reading mentors and fantastic students - reading pairs are meeting both virtually AND in-person this year (depending on program and region) and we are having so much fun witnessing new and old reading pairs reunite!
If you are a Read to a Child volunteer reading mentor and are waiting to start reading for the school year - stay tuned to hear more about when RAMP sessions will begin at your school. If you have any questions or inquiries about becoming a volunteer please contact us.
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Mentor & student reading in-person in the Metro Detroit |
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Student reading virtually with their mentor in Greater Boston |
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Program Coordinator, Violeta, with RAMP book cart |
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Reading Pair Spotlight: Donna and Tyra |
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You may remember reading pair, Donna & Tyra, from our reading pair spotlight last year. Donna and Tyra only read together 3 times before the pandemic forced the Read Aloud Mentoring Program to pivot to a virtual setting. After that, the pair really bonded during their virtual reading sessions. Donna was going through treatment for cancer, and 'donned' different wigs during their sessions, which Tyra loved! According to Donna, of Microsoft, a Metro Detroit corporate partner, she was nervous that Tyra wouldn't recognize her once they started back in-person for the 2021-2022 school year. However, when Tyra first spotted Miss Donna, she ran up to her for a very special reuniting hug.
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"We couldn't wait to get into the classroom and begin reading. It was a privilege to read to her at home, virtually, last year. I won't take for granted the privilege of reading to her in-person this year." |
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Donna describes Tyra as a 'ray of sunshine,' commenting that she can't wait to spend time together in-person (finally!) reading their favorite books. When asked what she liked best about reading with Donna, Tyra exclaims, "it makes me smarter and she makes me proud of myself." We are so thrilled to have the opportunity to reunite reading pairs, such as Donna and Tyra, this school year.
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Celebrating our Website Launch |
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Read to a Child is excited to usher in a new year with a brand new website! Readtoachild.org has received quite the makeover - boasting a fresh, new look, and showcasing the heart of what we do through compelling storytelling and imagery. We are thrilled for you to join us on this journey - come visit and see what we are all about.
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Our new website will showcase compelling testimonials from our volunteers, such as Andrea, and corporate partners detailing their experience with Read to a Child and why they are passionate about our mission. |
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National Read to a Child Day 2021 |
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For the third year in a row, Read to a Child and our greater community celebrated National Read to a Child Day to recognize and celebrate the power of the read aloud experience and the immense value that reading aloud has on literacy success.
Read to a Child collaborated with Rebel Girls for a special volunteer-led read aloud from Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World, the third installment in the New York Times bestselling series with beautiful illustrations from 70 extraordinary female artists from 29 countries.
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Check out Part 1 & Part 2 of Good Night Stories below, read aloud by Greater Los Angeles volunteers.
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A New Remote Read Aloud with author, Brynne Barnes |
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Children's book author, Brynne Barnes, helped Read to a Child students in Metro Detroit celebrate National Read to a Child Day. Brynne joined a Kindergarten classroom at Metro Detroit partner school, Detroit Leadership Academy, for a special Read to a Child Day read aloud from her debut children's book Colors of Me.
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Click below to watch the entire read aloud and Q&A! |
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Recognizing Native American Heritage Month |
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Recognize this important month by watching our Remote Read Aloud with F. Anthony Falcon reading his debut children's book Be Brave, Be Brave, Be Brave, inspired by the teachings, traditions and struggles of his Native American ancestors.
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Check out our entire Remote Read Aloud Program library for access to exclusive read aloud content from notable authors and guest readers. |
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Give Miami Day Raises Much Needed Funding for Greater Miami Region |
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Give Miami Day 2021 was an incredible success for Read to a Child in Greater Miami. Thanks to 61 incredible donors, Read to a Child was able to bring in over $6,500 to support the growth of the Read Aloud Mentoring Program in Greater Miami. We are so grateful to our incredible Miami supporters, volunteers, and board members for their dedication to Read to a Child and passion for our mission. We couldn't have done it without you!
Didn't get the chance to make your donation for Give Miami Day? It's not too late to make your impact. Click here to give today.
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Save the Date - Thursday, January 20th 2022 |
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Mark Your Calendar for our National Virtual Event: Turning Pages
Thursday, January 20th, 2022
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Help Read to a Child 'turn the page' to our next chapter after an extraordinary and challenging year for so many. Join us in January for our second national virtual event! Help us raise much needed funding to support our Read Aloud Mentoring Program so we can continue to meet the needs of our students - who need us now more than ever!
Mark your calendars now and stay tuned for more information on how to register for the event and spend an exciting and memorable evening with Read to a Child. We can't wait to 'see you' again.
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Give the Gift of Reading this Holiday Season |
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Please consider Read to a Child as you plan for your year-end giving. Read to a Child is a 501c3 organization and your contribution is fully tax-deductible. See if your employer can match your donation here. We are 100% donor supported.
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When you shop through Amazon Smile, Amazon donates .5% of the cost of your purchase to Read to a Child. Click here to shop and make sure to choose Read to a Child as your charity of choice.
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A Warm Welcome to our Newest Board & Staff Members! |
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Luisana is Greater Miami's first ever Development Director. She has worked with various early education nonprofits in Florida and New York City in strategic partnerships and development capacities and is passionate about building relationships and connecting individuals with opportunities to create change and impact their communities. She is passionate about Read to a Child's mission of fostering a love of reading, and believes reading aloud is an important tool in creating curious minds and academic success.
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De'Laija joins the Greater Miami Regional Board as a warm and compassionate leader for whom people are drawn to. Currently pursuing her doctorate in organizational leadership, De'Laija is a passionate advocate for arts education and is the founder of the Lead with Your Art initiative. De'Laija is passionate about inspiring individuals to reach their full potential - which is why she is a welcome addition to the Read to a Child family.
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Brittney Xu
Brittney joins the Greater Miami Regional Board as an Associate at Holland & Knight. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was on the board of the Recording Artists Project, a clinic that served the legal needs to student musicians in the Boston area. Brittney benefitted from a program similar to Read to a Child when she first came to the U.S., which sparked her love of reading and boosted her language mastery - she hopes to provide the same experience to kids in the Miami area today.
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Daniel Krisch joins Greater Hartford's Regional Board as one of Connecticut's preeminent appellate lawyers as Partner at Halloran & Sage and a lifelong Connecticut resident. Daniel devotes a significant portion of his time to pro bono work and activities to improve access to justice. Daniel is currently a mentor with the Lawyers collaborative for Diversity and spent 3 years as Vice-Chair and 6 years as a Board member of Community Partners in Action, a social justice nonprofit organization. Welcome to the Read to a Child family, Daniel!
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Get Involved and Follow Us on Social Media! |
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