Every day, our teen tutors demonstrate an unwavering dedication to transforming lives through literacy.
And yet, their commitment to uplifting our community by ensuring every child succeeds doesn’t stop when they leave the classroom.
For #GivingTuesday next week, READ USA will share the first of many stories of how our teen tutors are transforming the lives of many people in our community, in addition to their own.
We are confident when we say, you won’t believe the ripple effect that our teen tutors are having throughout Duval County and beyond!
We are inspired every day by our teen tutors, their accomplishments, and their commitment to excellence. READ USA is honored to employ, support, and nurture the growth and future success of our teen tutors who are transforming lives and our community.
To support READ USA’s mission to solve illiteracy through high-interest books and high-quality teaching, donate today!
Happy Thanksgiving from READ USA!
READ USA wishes you and your loved ones a day filled with love, laughter, and gratitude!
Our team is thankful for every one of our READ USA teen tutors, teachers, supporters, donors, volunteers, and community partners who help us fulfill our mission of uplifting lives through literacy every day. As we reflect on all that has been accomplished this year because of your involvement and support, and as we look to the future, our hearts are filled with gratitude for your commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to envision and create a life of success.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, we wanted to share a heartwarming book, The Night Before Thanksgiving, by best-selling author Natasha Wing. It’s a fun-filled book for a food- and gratitude-filled holiday that’s perfect to read aloud with young ones. This tale reminds us of the joy of family, friends, and all we have to be grateful for in this world.
You can also access a read aloud of The Night Before Thanksgiving here.
We wish you a happy and memorable Thanksgiving!
Jeremy Needs Your Help!
Jeremy, our fictional namesake of our Jeremy’s Journey children’s book series, is hosting “Jeremy’s Winter Festival” at elementary schools across Duval County in December – and he needs volunteers to help him prepare:
- Who: YOU!
- What: Help Jeremy stuff 2,700+ backpacks with books and other goodies for elementary students at local elementary schools
- Where: Schultz Center (4019 Boulevard Center Drive)
- When: Saturday, Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
We will share more details soon about Jeremy’s Winter Festival and how you can be a part of the fun!
READ USA Participates in “Gather for Goodwill” Event
The READ USA team had a great time participating in last week’s “Gather for Goodwill” event hosted by Goodwill Industries of North Florida!
During the event, Goodwill honored individuals of Goodwill mission programs and shared the – you guessed it – “Good News” about Goodwill! You can view photos from the event on Goodwill’s Instagram page here.
Local celebrities also walked a runway to showcase the fashionista finds available at Goodwill’s retail thrift stores. One of those local celebrities was one of our community’s most ardent advocates, Melanie Lawson of News4JAX – who we are grateful to have as a supporter and friend of READ USA!
Our heartfelt thanks to Goodwill’s President & CEO David Rey for the invitation to attend, and a special thank you to our Chief Programs Officer Tabetha Cox and Tutoring Program Director Kathleen McArthur for representing READ USA. We love any opportunity to support our tremendous partners at Goodwill Industries of North Florida
Children’s Book: Because of a Teacher, by George Couros
Written and curated by George Couros
If you ask a teacher why they became a teacher, they will often say that they had a great teacher that impacted their life. Teachers today hope to have the same impact on their students’ lives. There are all types of teachers: reading, math, history, science, technology, librarians, etc. Because of a Teacher: Stories of the Past to Inspire the Future of Education was written to shed light on the contributions and the impact that teachers make on education.
It has been argued that teachers are the most important members of our society. They give children a purpose, set them up for success as citizens of our world, and inspire in them the drive to do well and succeed in life. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Teachers are critical in preparing students for their future.
Teachers are important because of their powerful contributions to education and their dedication to education. Because of a Teacher is a collection of personal stories, brought together to offer hope for new teachers, encouragement for educators, and reassurance that what they are doing right now will inspire generations to come.
Submitted by Dr. Barbara Lacey-Allen, Book Programs & Family Engagement Director
Parent Education Corner: Reading Aloud with Children of All Ages
Research continues to show that, “The single most important activity for building knowledge for their eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.” At READ USA, we believe it is important to read aloud to children of all ages!
Here are some of the many benefits of reading aloud to children:
- Reading aloud presents books as sources of pleasant, valuable, and exciting experiences. Children who value books are motivated to read on their own.
- Reading aloud gives children background knowledge, which helps them make sense of what they see, hear, and read. The more adults read aloud to children, the larger their vocabularies will grow and the more they will know about the world and their place in it.
- Reading aloud can introduce books and types of literature – poetry, short stories, biographies, etc. – that children might not discover on their own.
- Reading aloud introduces the language of books, which differs from language heard in daily conversations, on television, and in the movies.
- Reading aloud gives children and adults something to talk about. Talking supports the further development of reading and writing skills.
Submitted by Kathi Hart, Content Specialist
Do you have any questions or ideas for the Parent Education Corner? Anything you’d like to learn? Let us know here!