This year's conference was a huge success and it's all because of YOU!

Our Attendees Are The Best!!

To everyone who participated in the 2025 CCIRA Conference, The Sky is Never the Limit, we sincerely appreciate your presence! Your enthusiasm and engagement made this event truly special. Whether you participated in sessions, listened to inspiring keynotes, or connected with vendors, your involvement played a vital role in our shared experience. We understand the commitment it takes to attend, and we’re grateful for the trust you placed in us to provide you with a worthwhile learning opportunity. We hope you left feeling inspired, energized, and full of fresh ideas. Thank you for being a part of our incredible community—we look forward to continuing this journey of learning together!

Our 2025 conference would not have been the same without our incredible speakers! CCIRA is deeply grateful for the wisdom, inspiration, and expertise they brought to our attendees. From thought-provoking sessions to meaningful conversations and book signings, their contributions created a lasting impact. It was an honor to host such a talented group, and we hope they found the experience just as rewarding as we did.

Thank You To Our

Sponsors & Donors!!

CCIRA sincerely thanks our sponsors and donors for their unwavering support. The success of our organization depends on generous contributions like theirs, which make it possible for us to continue promoting literacy and educational excellence. Their generosity fuels our mission, allowing us to provide valuable resources and opportunities for educators and learners alike. We deeply appreciate their partnership and commitment to our cause—it truly makes a difference!

Keith Adams

Katy Anthes

Anne Cook

Mary Fanyo

Scott Johnson

Ellin Keene

Carl Kielbasa

Stevi Quate

Colleen Rickert

Cris Tovani

Beth Waley

The Exhibit Hall Was Fantastic!!

CCIRA sincerely appreciates our vendors for being an integral part of the 2025 conference. Their participation, engagement, and contributions enrich the experience for all attendees—especially through their involvement in our Goosechase missions! We recognize the time and effort they dedicate to making this event a success and are grateful for their support. We look forward to welcoming them back next year!

Congratulations!

Lisa Kahn has been named the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Fannie Stabenow Award, an honor given annually to an individual who has made a significant impact on CCIRA. As CCIRA’s Executive Director, Lisa’s tireless dedication and leadership have been instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission and vision. Her unwavering commitment ensures CCIRA continues to thrive and support educators. Congratulations, Lisa—your hard work and passion are truly appreciated!

Congratulations to Jessica Whitcomb, the recipient of the CCIRA Futures Award, given in honor of our late past presidents. This award recognizes outstanding educators in the early years of their careers, and Jessica exemplifies excellence in reading instruction. Her passion, dedication, and impact on young readers make her truly deserving of this honor. Well done, Jessica!

CCIRA Professional Development Blog

All Things Literacy

The CCIRA blog features a wide variety of nationally renowned literacy experts, as well as talented practitioners from across Colorado. Check out the posts on https://ccira.blog/  

📢New Blog Alert!!📢

Conferring With Young Writers by Ralph Fletcher is the newest post on the CCIRA blog along with Student Agency: Strategies to Build a Strengths-Based Classroom by Dr. Towanda Harris. In case you missed it, the Top 5 Blog Posts of 2024 have been posted. Check out other current posts such as Building Novel Connections: How to Center Book Clubs in Today’s Literacy Classrooms by Dr. Sarah Valter and Term Projects: Exploring Choice Writing in a World of Standardized Testing by Brent Gilson. You will also find Sparks in the Dark: Returning to Joy, Love, Curiosity, and Passion by Travis Crowder and Todd Nesloney and 3 Ideas for Integrating Literacy into Science Lessons by Elizabeth Everett. Please take a moment to read From Empathy to Compassion: Reading to Make a Difference by Katie Kelly and Lester Laminack and Teaching the Writing That Students Need Now by Kelly Boswell as well. Most of the authors have been CCIRA Conference presenters!!

If you are interested in submitting a guest post to the CCIRA blog, please contact Hollyanna Bates. hollyannabates@gmail.com

Lynsey Burkins, one of our fantastic 2025 CCIRA Conference presenters, is looking for Denver-area teachers who might be interested in participating in Build Your Stack® at NCTE’s National Convention, which will take place November 20–23, 2025 in Denver.

What is Build Your Stack®?

Build Your Stack® is an NCTE initiative that celebrates teacher expertise and book knowledge by creating meaningful connections between educators and high-quality literature. Through Build Your Stack, teachers share the books they use with students and how they integrate them into their teaching practices.

Build Your Stack® at NCTE’s National Convention

• At the convention, Build Your Stack® will feature 20 twenty-minute presentation slots specifically for Denver-area teachers to share books they love and use in their classrooms.
• Each session can have 1-4 teacher presenters, making it a collaborative and fun experience.
• The presentations will take place in the exhibit hall, ensuring visibility and engagement from convention attendees.

How Can Teachers Get Involved?

We are looking for 1-4 teachers to present for 20 minutes on books they love and use in their classrooms. This is a low-pressure, fun way for both new and experienced teachers to share their expertise.

To support presenters, Lynsey will hold a one-hour meeting with all participating teachers to walk them through the process and answer any questions.

Any teachers who might be interested should contact Amy Vermeulen at amy.ccira@gmail.com. Teachers who need funding for the books they'd like to use can apply for the STAR Grant listed below in the CCIRA Grants section of the newsletter.

Star Grant - Due March 30

Do you want to try new reading/writing experiences with your students?

CCIRA has developed the STAR Grant Program just for you! Successful applicants will receive up to $500 to develop and implement reading

projects that will directly impact students. Click the button below to go to the

grants page of the CCIRA website. Contact Sarah Iversen with any questions.

Teacher as Literacy Learner Grant - Due March 30

Are you interested in promoting literacy by encouraging the teachers in your district to become active readers and/or writers? Apply for CCIRA’s Teacher as Literacy Learner Grant to earn up to $500 to cover materials to make this professional growth opportunity a reality in your school. Proposals should focus on the use of literature to build teachers’ professional knowledge, the power of participating in a book club as a means of building one’s love for reading, or the development of teachers’ writing skills as they take risks to find their own writing voice. Click the button below to go to the grants page of the CCIRA website. Contact Michelle Tillotson with any questions.

Local Activity Grant - Due April 1

Does your council have a great idea for an activity involving reading/writing instruction or promoting literacy in schools? If so, you can fill out the application for the Local Activity Grant (formerly the Council Development Grant). This grant is awarded three times a year. Due dates for applications are August 1, February 1, and April 1. Click the button below to go to the grants page of the CCIRA website. Contact Jessica Endres with any questions you may have.

CCIRA is a non-profit organization that works to empower literacy educators. As a non-profit organization, we appreciate support in a variety of ways:

• Donate
• Support a Conference Scholarship Opportunity
• Leverage fundraising programs to earn CCIRA money
• Volunteer with CCIRA

Raise Funds for CCIRA!

CCIRA Partners in Empowering Literacy Educators

TOP REASONS TO PARTNER WITH CCIRA

• Over 1000 conference attendees will learn about your partnership with CCIRA.
• Our educator community will see your support on our webpage.
• Visitors to the CCIRA website will learn about your organization and its events.
• Our combined support of literacy will impact students across our state and neighboring states.

CCIRA collaboratively encourages, supports, and advances literacy through research-based instructional practices to increase literacy access to all.

All people will be empowered to critically engage in our changing world by developing and utilizing literacy skills throughout life.

CCIRA.inc. | ccirainfo@gmail.com | ccira.org