A Message from our President & CEO
This year, the United States of America celebrates a remarkable milestone: 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
As we reflect on our nation’s history, it’s worth remembering something easy to overlook:
America’s founding was not possible without literacy.
A photo I took of the original Declaration of Independence in the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C.
Long before July 4, 1776, the ideas that shaped our nation spread through newspapers, pamphlets, letters, sermons, and public debate. Colonists read, discussed, challenged, and shared new ideas about liberty, taxation with representation, self-government, and the future they hoped to build together.
In fact, in the years leading up to the American Revolution, New England had some of the highest literacy rates in the world, with estimates reaching as high as 85–90%. That widespread ability to read helped fuel informed discussion, civic engagement, and ultimately, the birth of a new nation.
The power of literacy did not end with the Revolution. In the decades that followed reading became one of the primary ways America shaped its next generations of citizens. The McGuffey Readers, first published in the 1830s, became some of the most widely used schoolbooks in American history. For millions of children, these readers were more than textbooks; they were an introduction to language, learning, character, citizenship, and the shared stories that helped define American life.
In many ways, the McGuffey Readers remind us that literacy has always been about more than decoding words on a page. Reading has been one of the ways Americans learned to think, participate, lead, and contribute to something larger than themselves.
Today, 250 years later, literacy remains just as—if not more—essential to life and to our democracy.
America’s story has long been shaped by the pursuit of opportunity. But opportunity begins with access.
The ability to read provides access to education, meaningful careers, financial literacy, healthcare information, civic participation, lifelong learning, and the freedom to pursue one’s aspirations. It empowers individuals not only to improve their own lives, but also to contribute to their families, their communities, and our nation.
Just as literacy prepared previous generations to build the nation, it prepares today’s children to solve tomorrow’s challenges and write America’s next chapter.
That is why READ USA’s mission matters.
Every child who becomes a confident reader, every teen who develops workforce and leadership skills, every teacher who strengthens classroom instruction, and every family that embraces literacy is helping write the next chapter of America’s story.
As we celebrate our nation’s 250th Anniversary, we also celebrate the enduring power of literacy to expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and prepare the next generation to lead.
The first 250 years of America’s story were written by generations who built this nation.
The next 250 years will be written by today’s children.
This is why, at READ USA, we’re proud of our mission and work to ensure that every child has the literacy skills to write that future with confidence and purpose.
As we reflect on our past and pursue our future, Team READ USA—and every child, teen, teacher, and family we serve—is grateful for the support of our donors, partners, volunteers, and supporters who power our mission. THANK YOU!
With gratitude and patriotic pride,
Dr. Rob Kelly
President & CEO
READ USA, Inc.
Success Is Never a Solo Journey
Behind every successful person is a community of people who encouraged them, challenged them, believed in them, and helped them along the way.
That’s one of the biggest lessons our Summer Leadership Academy teens are discovering as they continue their six-week journey of career exploration and leadership development.
This week, our teens learned that while every career path is unique, one thing remains true across every profession: no one succeeds alone.
During a visit to Goodwill Industries of North Florida, participants explored what it means to build a strong support system.
Through an engaging presentation, Peter Racine, Retired President of the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, challenged teens to identify the people who make up their personal “Circle of Support”—from family members and friends to teachers, mentors, employers, and other trusted professionals. As careers and life circumstances change, so do the people who help guide us.
One unforgettable illustration helped bring that lesson to life. Using an arm-wrestling demonstration, Peter showed that even the strongest challenges become easier to overcome when others are standing beside you.
He also encouraged our teens to begin developing a personal mission statement—a guiding purpose that extends far beyond any single job or career.
Participants also heard from Kathleen Murray, a U.S. Navy Commander who retired after a 20-year career in the Navy, broadening their understanding of military pathways by sharing the many educational, leadership, technical, and professional opportunities available through military service.
Her message helped our teens see that joining the military does not have to mean choosing one lifelong path. Instead, military service can provide training, experience, credentials, discipline, and leadership skills that can be applied in countless careers and industries afterward.
For some participants, the conversation opened their eyes to possibilities they had not previously considered—including how military service can support college access and long-term career goals.
Additionally, a tour of Goodwill’s GoodTrades program further expanded their perspectives as many experienced aspects of home construction for the first time. Watching GoodTrades trainees frame walls, install plumbing, and hang drywall reinforced both the value of skilled trades and the importance of sharing what they learned with others.
Sometimes leadership begins simply by opening someone else’s eyes to an opportunity.
Healthcare remained another major area of exploration this week.
During a presentation by Micki Hamilton, MSN, RN, CNOR, who oversees Baptist Health’s Simulation Center, participants discovered that healthcare extends far beyond doctors and nurses.
Whether serving as a Child Life Specialist supporting young patients, working in technology, education, administration, or countless other roles, every profession contributes to caring for others.
And just a few days later, our teens had the opportunity to experience Baptist’s Simulation Center in-person. Micki personally gave teens a tour of the innovative facility—which even features a real ambulance!—while Jeannie Poon, MSM, PHR, SHRM-CP, Director of Volunteer Services for Baptist, organized an engaging day of programming, including conducting a service project. We are also grateful our teens had the opportunity to hear directly from a LifeFlight paramedic, a radiation technician, as well as nurses and a nursing educator. Thank you to Parker Brigance, RN, Director, Emergency Service Line, for helping make the panel possible and to everyone who participated:
Our sincere gratitude also goes to Nicole Thomas, FACHE, Hospital President of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville—who is also the honoree of our 2023 Peace in the Pages READ to Heal Award!—for helping make all of our time with Baptist possible!
Further building upon their learnings in the healthcare field, our teens participated in an inspiring conversation with Dr. Michael Toledo, owner of Tooth Infinity & Beyond, who shared his own journey to becoming a dentist and business owner. His path included many different interests and experiences, including a background in performance, but one lesson remained constant: work hard, pursue your passions, and surround yourself with people who believe in you.
Those possibilities became even more tangible during a visit to Florida State College at Jacksonville, where our teens toured cutting-edge healthcare training facilities, explored programs ranging from surgical technology and emergency medical services to radiography, dental hygiene, physical therapy, funeral services, and cosmetology, and experienced innovative simulation technology that brought career pathways to life.
For many participants, these visits revealed just how many opportunities exist within fields they thought they already understood.
The week also included a conversation with Vic Micolucci, Strategic Communications Executive with JSO, who spoke to participants on behalf of Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters.
Micolucci shared insights into the Sheriff’s leadership priorities, including transparency, communication, building public trust, and recognizing the individual contributions of every team member. He also discussed how JSO is using social media and new communication strategies to better connect with the public, including through collaboration with young people who understand how to reach broader audiences.
Our teens asked thoughtful questions about leadership, challenges, public service, and communication, gaining a broader understanding of how law enforcement, community trust, and public engagement intersect.
Across every experience, one message continued to emerge: Success is about far more than choosing a career.
It is about building relationships, embracing opportunities, remaining curious, supporting others, and surrounding yourself with people who help you become the very best version of yourself.
That is exactly what Summer Leadership Academy is helping our teens do!
THANK YOU to every professional, organization, and community partner who continues investing your time, expertise, and encouragement in the next generation of leaders. Your willingness to share your stories is helping our teens write their own.
Congratulations to READ USA Board Member Vincent Taylor!
After 30 years of serving students and educators across Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), READ USA Board Member Vincent Taylor has officially retired from the school district.
But if you know Vincent, you know one thing is certain: He’s not retiring from education—rather, he’s simply finding new classrooms.
For three decades, Vincent has dedicated his career to helping students learn, teachers grow, and schools thrive. From spending 12 years in the classroom at John Love Elementary to serving as a math coach at Long Branch and Cedar Hills Elementary Schools, his work has always been rooted in one unwavering belief: every child deserves an engaging, joyful, and transformative learning experience.
Now, as he begins this next chapter, his classrooms may be changing, but his calling remains the same.
Rather than stepping away from education, Vincent plans to continue sharing his passion for teaching and learning with educators across the country through professional development, helping school districts implement innovative instructional practices that empower teachers and better engage students.
That next chapter also includes expanding the reach of his documentary (you can read more about that here!), which captures one of the messages closest to his heart: the most meaningful conversations about education begin by listening to students themselves. Vincent hopes the film will spark conversations among educators nationwide about authentic student engagement and inspire classrooms where every child feels seen, heard, and excited to learn.
Of course, no conversation about Vincent’s impact would be complete without Cornbread!
What began as a literacy initiative to help children fall in love with reading has grown into something much larger. Through four books and countless school visits, Cornbread has become a vehicle for encouraging literacy while also teaching lessons about healthy living, perseverance, family, and making positive choices.
Vincent plans to continue sharing Cornbread with students throughout the community, believing that for many children, one joyful reading experience can become the spark that ignites a lifelong love of learning.
In fact, Cornbread hosted his annual reading conference today at the Schultz Center!
Throughout every chapter of Vincent’s career, one theme has remained remarkably consistent: Whether teaching students, coaching teachers, writing children’s books, producing educational resources, or speaking to educators, Vincent has always sought to multiply his impact by helping others discover the joy and power of learning.
That philosophy is one of the reasons Vincent’s service on READ USA’s Board of Directors has been such a natural extension of his life’s work.
Throughout his career, Vincent has believed that meaningful change happens when passionate educators, community partners, and organizations come together around students. His commitment to literacy, joyful learning, and educational excellence reflects the very values that guide READ USA’s mission each day.
“READ USA is exactly the kind of organization I want to continue aligning myself with,” Vincent shared. “The mission and team are doing the work—meeting students where they are, supporting teachers, and helping strengthen literacy throughout our community. That’s the kind of impact I want to continue being part of.”
As Vincent begins this exciting new chapter, Team READ USA celebrates his remarkable legacy—and is excited for all that’s yet to come for Vincent.
Congratulations, Vincent, on an extraordinary career with DCPS! Thank you for reminding all of us that the very best educators never stop teaching. We are grateful that you’ll continue helping shape the future of education alongside Team READ USA.
Do You Know a Teen Looking for a Growth Opportunity?
If you do, then becoming a READ USA tutor might be the perfect fit!
We are recruiting teens and young adults aged 16-21 to deliver literacy tutoring to elementary students who are below grade-level reading proficiency during the 2026-2027 school year.
This is a unique opportunity to learn new skills, build a resume, and change the trajectory of a child’s future—all in under 10 hours a week!
Teens who become tutors or AmeriCorps Tutor Leaders receive robust training from READ USA to implement high-quality, pre-written lesson plans in a one-to-one format with elementary students, ultimately helping those students achieve or move closer to reading proficiency. Tutoring occurs after school at DCPS elementary schools on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3-6 p.m.
All tutors and AmeriCorps Tutor Leaders are supervised and receive on-the-job coaching from certified reading teachers and participate in meaningful opportunities to build critical workforce skills, including:
READ USA has two opportunities available:
READ USA Tutors
AmeriCorps Tutor Leaders
These opportunities are filling fast, so apply TODAY!
Children’s Book: Penelope Rex and the Problem with Pets by Ryan T. Higgins
READ USA is continuing to feature the Top 10 Finalists for the 2025-2026 Florida Literacy Association Children’s Book Award in our weekly children’s book review. There were 10 finalists in the Grades K-2 category and 10 for the Grades 3-5 category for a total of 20 books.
To view the full list of finalists, click here.
This Week’s Featured Book: Penelope Rex and the Problem with Pets by Ryan T. Higgins
Top 10 Finalist in Grades K-2 category
Penelope Rex is back—and she has a big idea: she wants a pet! But as Penelope quickly discovers, taking care of someone else isn’t always as easy as it seems.
With humor, heart, and a few unexpected twists, Ryan T. Higgins brings readers along as Penelope learns what it truly means to care for another creature. Along the way, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and relatable challenges.
The expressive illustrations and playful dialogue make this a favorite for read-alouds, while also opening the door to meaningful conversations about responsibility and empathy.
This story is as funny as it is thoughtful, proving that sometimes, the best lessons come with a little bit of chaos.
Parent Education Corner: Fine Motor Skills – They Matter!
Fine motor skills include the small movements of muscles that involve using the hands and fingers together to perform movements such as pinching and grasping. These types of movements are important for young children to practice because they lay the foundation for children to do everyday tasks such as grasping a pencil, buttoning and unbuttoning clothes, tying shoes, brushing teeth, cutting with scissors, and much more.
How can you help your child practice fine motor skills at home? Here are five simple activities that are fun and will help develop hand-eye coordination, finger control, and your child’s ability to manipulate objects:
These simple activities will support the development of the fine motor skills your child needs to become independent. Fine motor skills are needed to perform self-care tasks (e.g., brushing hair), daily tasks (e.g., turning the pages of a book), drawing, learning to write, and so much more!
Submitted by Kathi Hart, READ USA Lead Content Specialist