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Read Aloud WV celebrates success in first year of Book Bundles program

by Book Distribution

In 11 schools this year, Read Aloud WV tried a new program we’ve become really excited about. We distributed “Book Bundles” on a child’s favorite subject primarily to elementary school students. Each bundle contains five books on a subject the student choose earlier. These ranged from basketball, to pets, dance, reptiles, sharks, and more. This research-informed method motivates children to WANT to read, because motivation is the first step in developing any skill. Book Bundles help grow a child’s background knowledge and drives reading comprehension. 

Students build fluency and confidence as they comb through their easier books. Knowledge gained there helps them to read more difficult books. Reading multiple texts on the same subject increases reading proficiency four times faster than other methods, according to the WV Department of Education. Book Bundles also build anticipation around reading. Even some of our most seasoned volunteers were even impressed by the level of excitement in the classrooms on unwrapping day.

More than 2,000 books were distributed through Book Bundles this past school year. We will be distributing more Book Bundles this coming school year based on the program’s success. Classrooms that are enrolled with Read Aloud WV are eligible to receive Book Bundles and other book distributions.

A special thanks to our funders for this program: the Bernard McDonough Foundation, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, and the Arthur and Joan Weisberg Family Foundation.

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Thanks to everyone who attended Read-A-Palooza 2024!

by Fundraising

It was a special night in April looking toward the future of Read Aloud WV and celebrating the accomplishments of our volunteers statewide. We want to thank our sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and community for continuing to champion our work here at Read Aloud WV.

We were honored to recognize one volunteer reader: Delilah Willis, and her parents Deanna and Mike. The Willis family drove from Berkeley County the day of the event to attend. Delilah, who is blind, is a volunteer reader for 3rd graders at Bunker Hill Elementary School, where she reads to her students in Braille.

Delilah reminds us of the importance of reading aloud. She shares a love for children’s literacy and shows the commitment volunteers make for their students. We are so appreciative of Delilah for being a classroom reader, and for making the long trip from Kearneysville to Charleston!

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Books and Baseball in the Capital City

by Book Distribution

Read Aloud WV and the Charleston Dirty Birds partnered in May to send hundreds of young readers home with a new book to enjoy this summer as they headed  into break. They also witnessed an extra-innings walk-off win by the Dirty Birds!

It was an exciting experience for everyone. We want to thank the Dirty Birds for their commitment to our community and helping grow childhood literacy in West Virginia.

Readapalooza 2024 Social Media outlines

Get your Read-A-Palooza 2024 Tickets!

by Uncategorized

It’s time for Read-A-Palooza! We will be hosting our annual fundraiser at the University of Charleston on Thursday, April 18, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. We’ll be recognizing our wonderful volunteers and looking toward the future of Read Aloud!

Tom Heywood, a partner at Bowles Rice, led our organization in a strategic planning session last fall. He will speak at 6:30 p.m. about Read Aloud’s future work to improve literacy in West Virginia.

The event will feature appetizers and drinks in a casual environment with a happy hour feel, as well as a fun and popular “wine pull.” For $20, participants can pull a mystery bottle of wine. All bottles are worth $20 or more.

Read-A-Palooza tickets are $45 prior or $50 at the door. They can be purchased at this link: https://checkout.square.site/merchant/0VBE4K1RS7H9J/checkout/J65RME3CPZ5HR2JV2L7NJXQJ

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An evening with Marion County Literacy Volunteers …. and Ozzie The Reading Dog!

by Uncategorized
Literacy Volunteers of Marion County invited Read Aloud WV to visit in March. Thirteen Literacy Volunteers — and their dog Ozzie, pictured here with volunteer Pam Shanholtz — attended an orientation to qualify as Read Aloud volunteers. Literacy Volunteers tutor students and adults in reading, loan books to readers, and distribute books to families in Marion County.
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Training the Next Generation of Read Aloud Volunteers

by Uncategorized

Jackson County Read Aloud President Janet McCauley recently delivered an in-person New Reader Orientation to these students at Roane-Jackson Technical High Center.

“What a delightful group!” said McCauley. “One gal related to me how the training impacted her thoughts about screen time. She also told of observing a football player who was reading to an elementary class and told him how he could improve! I was thrilled to know that this training made such an impact on at least one person.” 

This winter, Read Aloud also conducted virtual New Reader Orientations for students at Independence High School in Raleigh County, Huntington High School in Cabell County, and Berkeley Springs High School in Morgan County!

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Newly Independent Readers in Gerrardstown

by Chapters

A short story from Read Aloud board member and Berkeley County volunteer reader Casey Willson:

“We sent 22 books home with the kids in Ms. Edwards’ kindergarten class at Gerrardstown Elementary. It was ‘Waiting is Not Easy’ by Mo Willems. I kept a copy and Ms. Edwards has the balance in the classroom. 

It worked well: I read the book to the class last week; we put in book plates then and the kids wrote their name in the book. Today, I read with the kids page by page, then had individuals come up with me and read a page or two. We then sent them home with the book to read to or with someone at home. 

Pictured above is one student, Rhett, after the distribution. The newly independent first grade reader is reading to the baby.” 

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Read Aloud launches BookBaby Shirt campaign to support literacy in WV 

by Fundraising

Read Aloud West Virginia has launched its 2024 BookBaby Snap-bottom Shirt campaign as both a fundraiser and reminder of the value of reading to children. 

Baby shirts are available for purchase here: https://www.bonfire.com/2024-bookbaby-onesie-1/ 

The cotton baby shirt featuring a design by Charleston artist Brenda Pinnell of HepCatz Design, makes an ideal gift. Proceeds support Read Aloud WV. 

Research shows that children who connect reading with pleasure and have access to print books read more and become more proficient readers. The habit starts early as parents and caregivers read to babies. 

“Singing, rhyming words, naming things, and reading books to children all help prepare children to read by school age,” said Read Aloud Executive Director Dawn Miller. “It‘s astonishing sometimes how beneficial just reading for fun can be.” 

Neuroscientists have found that reading to children causes the brain to establish networks of brain cells that are used later when children learn to sound out words. Researchers have also found that the vocabulary and background knowledge that children learn from listening to stories is one of the most important factors in reading comprehension later. 

“A Read Aloud onesie is a nice, gentle reminder of creating healthy reading habits,” Miller said. “You can hang the sign right on the baby’s belly. Also, you can never have too many onesies. 

“We hope grandparents, aunts, and uncles like the shirts as gifts,” Miller said. “By giving a shirt to a future reader in the family, they are spreading the word about the importance of reading to kids, and at the same time supporting Read Aloud in helping kids all over West Virginia discover pleasure in reading.” 

Read Aloud’s mission is to motivate children to WANT to read, because motivation is the critical first step in developing any skill. Read Aloud involves families, the medical community, businesses, civic groups, and the society at large in building a culture that values reading. 

Read Aloud is a statewide nonprofit and volunteer network working to improve childhood literacy since 1986. Hundreds of Read Aloud volunteers visit classrooms all across West Virginia to read to children each week. Read Aloud distributes more than 20,000 books to children every year. 

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Donate to Read Aloud; lower your tax bill 

by Fundraising

NIP credits offered for gifts of $500 or more 

You qualify for Neighborhood Investment Program tax credits if you: 

— Pay income taxes in West Virginia, or 

— Pay corporate net income taxes in West Virginia, and  

— Donate $500 or more to Read Aloud West Virginia. 

Taxpayers can use this credit even if they don’t itemize on federal or state income tax returns. 

It works like this: 

  1. Send a donation of $500 or more to a qualifying organization, such as Read Aloud WV. 
  1. Read Aloud sends you a voucher for as much as half the gift amount. At tax time, turn in the voucher to reduce your tax bill by that amount. Taxpayers may use all or part of the credit. They have five years to use all the credit. 

A larger gift qualifies for a larger credit. So, a $1,000 donation gets $500 in tax credits. A $5,000 gift qualifies for $2,500 off, and so on.  

The maximum tax credit allowed in any one year is $100,000. Donors cannot reduce their total state tax bill by more than 50 percent. 

NIP credits are administered by the state to encourage donations to local nonprofits. 

Every dollar donated to Read Aloud results in more time spent sending volunteer readers into classrooms to motivate children to read for fun, or giving kids happy, choice-filled book distributions. 

As little as $100 can fund books for an entire classroom, while $1,100 can fund a month of Books for Babies, providing a new book for all babies born at Women and Children’s Hospital, CAMC, for example. 

To donate: 

  1. Mail a check to Read Aloud WV, PO Box 1784, Charleston, WV 25326 (the most cost-effective method). 
  1. Go to readaloudwv.org and click the Donate button to make a secure donation through Square.  
  1. Transfer stock. Call 304-345-5212 or email stateoffice@readaloudwv.org for details. 
  1. Direct a retirement account distribution to Read Aloud. If it comes straight from your financial institution, even a disbursement from a tax-deferred plan may not incur taxes, and it will also qualify for the NIP tax credit. Call or email for details.