Back-to-school flood relief drive exceeds expectations

by NewsPartners

By Nikki Moses

How can we help?

That was the burning question asked by compassionate people in West Virginia and beyond after devastating flooding hit the Mountain State in June.

Two people called state Board of Education member Beverly Kingery. She was on vacation, but she said, “Give me a day or two…”

Matt Browning, communications director at West Virginia State University, contacted Read Aloud: “Can we work together to help?”

Many more followed. As momentum built, it became clear that a coordinated effort was needed. Bev Kingery, along with husband Phil, took the lead in the project that has put 9,875 backpacks filled with school supplies in the hands of West Virginia students in time for the new school year!

Donations worth more than $200,000 began flowing in. Businesses, religious organizations, civic and professional groups, educators and individuals and the media dove in.

What could have been logistical chaos (10,000 packs of paper, 30,000 spiral notebooks, pencils galore…) was a smooth operation under Kingery’s guidance. The former school teacher, principal and superintendent procured warehouse space at an 84 Lumber facility Logan. With the help of many community leaders and volunteers the sorting and packing and transporting began. Logan County’s Commission, Board of Education and Sheriff were key players. Deliveries to students began Aug. 5.

In Kanawha County, Bridget Foster led collection efforts with the help of Read Aloud and WVSU Extension Service. WOWK-TV asked viewers to fill a school bus in their Quarrier Street Parking lot, while Capitol Market, Charleston Town Center Mall, Courtyard Marriott, South Charleston Public Library, Wal-Mart in South Charleston and WVSU all served as drop-off locations to provide ease of access for donors.

Counties across the state saw communities come together to help. “This was a case of many hands making light work,” Mary Kay Bond said. “Everyone worked together.”

Nikki Moses is the former editor of the Read Aloud newsletter and a board member. She is an active volunteer in the Charleston community.

Read Aloud Boone County goes LIVE!

by BooksChaptersParents and FamiliesReadingResourcesSocial MediaVideos

By Sara Busse

Unbeknownst to him, WOWK weatherman Spencer Adkins inspired a new delivery system for Read Aloud of Boone County. By embracing technology, Chapter President Jennifer Griffith is spreading Read Aloud throughout the county with enthusiasm and passion.

“I was on Facebook and saw Spencer Adkins go live with an update about a storm.” She joined the conversation. “When I did, I saw the interaction between me, him and others… people typing in, asking questions… he would read them and say their names with a reply. I thought, ‘How neat is that?!’ I sent a question to see if the storm would hit Madison. He said, ‘Jennifer, it looks like it will hit in about ten minutes down the Boone line.’ From that day on, I would see journalists and others ‘go live’ and thought, ‘How could I incorporate that into my Read Aloud?’”

Griffith went live on Facebook, reading children’s favorite books. She promoted the Tuesday night Facebook readings to parents and children. Authors joined in live discussions. And it was a hit!

Griffith knew that most homes have a computer, iPad or iPhone, all of which have links to social media.

“My goal was to get parents involved as well as the kids. Having it at night, I hoped to draw a larger crowd, that parents and grandparents would sit with their child, watch and engage, just as I did with Spencer!”

The story time ran through June and July. Parents would comment as the story progressed. Griffith’s expressive delivery guaranteed many responses from parents. They would message her, saying how excited their child was when Griffith called him or her by name.

“I would give a ‘shout out’ to the kids when I saw their posts. ‘Hey Bobby, are you ready for Storytime? We have a great book to read tonight.’

Griffith said one great thing about Facebook Live is that it stays on the Facebook page and those who missed it can view at a later time.

Griffith, a former teacher in the Boone County school system and current piano teacher who now works with WVU Physicians, has been encouraging reading in her community for many years. She created a program called “Skyhawk Read Aloud” that involved high school football players reading to elementary students. Book drives at football games, Read to My Pet Day and other initiatives have helped promote reading in the county, as well.

Visit Read Aloud WV-Boone County on Facebook to see Griffith’s videos and to stay updated on the exciting events in the county.

Mary Boyd and Science Teacher Rocket Boys

Rocket Boys to take flight in Elkins

by Uncategorized

Read Aloud Randolph County announces book, movie event

Article by Beth Broschart courtesy for The Inter-Mountain (original publication date July 18, 2016)

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ELKINS – Summertime offers the opportunity to enjoy many activities including sunning by the pool, quiet evenings on the porch or deck and travels to many fun places. And what better way to pass the time than reading a book? With that in mind, Read Aloud Randolph County has announced plans for another book/movie event for the summer.

The group is encouraging the community to read “Rocket Boys” by Homer Hickam Jr., Read Aloud Randolph County President Mary Boyd said. Read Aloud wanted to get the word out about the upcoming event to give people the opportunity to get a copy of the book and read it before the showing of the movie, she said.

“We are sponsoring a community showing of the movie ‘October Sky’ at sundown Sept. 2 as part of the Elkins Main Street First Friday events,” Boyd said. “Elkins Main Street will get the licensing to show the movie, and Davis & Elkins College is loaning the projector and screen for the movie. The showing will be outside in downtown Elkins.”

Boyd said copies of the book “Rocket Boys” are available for loan at the Elkins Sewing Center. An online scan of the Randolph County Libraries shows there are copies of “Rocket Boys” available at the Helvetia Public Library, the Valley Head Public Library, the Russell Memorial Public Library in Mill Creek, the Pioneer Memorial Public Library in Harman and the Elkins Randolph County Public Library.

“The book is a wonderful story about growing up in a small coal mining town, and is about how a teacher can inspire her students,” she said. “It shows how science discoveries are made and how to face failure, overcome adversity and become a success.”

Hickam is from Coalwood and is an author, Vietnam veteran and former NASA engineer. While at NASA, he worked on spacecraft design and astronaut training. His book was a New York Times bestseller and has been studied in many schools.

Josh Revels, a science instructor at Elkins High School, is the adviser for the rocket club. He said he had about 10 members of his club that participated in the Teen America Rocketry Club challenge.

“We had the 10 members who built this rocket at NASA with the supplies the West Virginia Rocketry Association chipped in with,” Revels said. “The students also designed this engine mount with a 3-D printer there, so the students were learning about engineering like in the book. They also discovered the first time isn’t always what they expect it takes more than one try.”

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Mary Boyd and Science Teacher Rocket Boys
The Inter-Mountain photo by Beth Christian Broschart   Elkins High School science instructor Josh Revels, left, shows a rocket constructed by students in the rocketry club at the school, similar to the ones constructed by the ‘Rocket Boys’ from Coalwood. Mary Boyd, president of Read Aloud Randolph County said the group is sponsoring a book/movie event and encourages people to read ‘Rocket Boys’ before the Sept. 2 public viewing of the movie ‘October Sky.’ The event is in conjunction with the Elkins Main Street First Friday events, and copies of the book are available to borrow at local libraries and the Elkins Sewing Center.

 

Revel and his EHS Rocket Club will be assisting during the Sept. 2 showing of “October Sky.”

Last year, Read Aloud Randolph County gathered folks to read “To Kill a Mockingbird,” written by Harper Lee. They sponsored a discussion about the book, sponsored a public showing of the movie and coordinated an essay writing contest for teens.

© Copyright 2016 Inter-Mountain. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published with permission.[/column][/columnContainer]

Read Aloud Summit 2016

by ChaptersDonorsEventsNewsSupporters

Representatives from local Read Aloud chapters across West Virginia met at Stonewall Resort July 25 and 26 to connect and share ideas and inspiration for the coming school year. This marked the third year for the Summit, which has proven to be an invaluable gathering for the organization and its local groups.

The conference addressed best practices for administering Read Aloud’s programs, which fall into four major categories: Volunteer Readers, Book Distribution, Classroom Enrichment and Parent Education. The needs and expectations of local chapters were addressed through presentations as well as group discussion.

Read Aloud staff and board members have been encouraged each year by the commitment of the organization’s volunteers and the impact the conference has had on local chapters. Here are some of the comments received from attendees after the conference this year:

“The conference was exceptional this year. It was well planned and all went smoothly. So much great information was shared by all. I can’t begin to say enough good things about the conference.”
“Excellent conference! Every moment was well invested. The Charleston team is outstanding!”
“A very pleasant experience that energized me for the coming year! Thank you for a conference well planned.”
“Enjoyed it very much. Enjoyed meeting other Read Aloud volunteers. Received a lot of good, useful information.”

A generous contribution from Read Aloud supporters Katharine and W. Marston Becker helped make the 2016 Read Aloud Summit possible. The organization is grateful to the Beckers for their support, to the staff of Stonewall Resort for their excellent hospitality and to its chapter leaders and volunteers for their incredible dedication to raising a state full of readers.

See more photos from the conference on our Facebook page.

BB&T West Virginia Foundation continues to support Read Aloud Book Distribution programs

by Book DistributionDonorsNewsPartners

By Melody Simpson

The BB&T West Virginia Foundation has awarded Read Aloud a $2,500 grant to support book distribution programs throughout the state. BB&T has provided similar financial support for several years now, and we are grateful for the role they continue to play in helping Read Aloud maintain and expand its book distribution programs.

While West Virginia’s eighth grade reading scores still lag behind the national average, in 2015 they were the only state scores in the country to show a significant improvement, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Education in October 2015. However, too many West Virginia children lack access to the tools they need to succeed in school and in life, and books are one of the most important tools required for raising a generation of learners.

Read Aloud has several book distribution programs designed to address this need, including Snuggle and Read (preschool children and families), Reading Round-ups (kindergarten enrollment), Food for Thought (elementary schools), a summer reading pilot program, and even prison workshops and book clubs (to encourage adult inmates to develop reading habits and read to their children).

Thank you, BB&T, for supporting these programs and helping us put books into the hands, and homes, of West Virginia children!

Kanawha County Participates In Back-to-School Supply Drive for Flood Victims

by Book DistributionChaptersEventsNews

The West Virginia Department of Education is leading a multi-county effort to help schools affected by the June flooding in West Virginia to replenish their lost supplies and provide needed materials for students. A Back-to-School Supply Drive will take place July 17-30 with collection sites operating throughout Kanawha County.

“Thousands of our children experienced the devastation of the recent catastrophic floods in our beloved state,” said State Board of Education member Beverly Kingery. “These children will soon return to school and many will return with few belongings and still much uncertainty in their lives.”

The goal of the drive is to provide each individual student in the severely affected flood areas with a book bag of school supplies. Organizers have set a goal of collecting 8,000 book bags with supplies such as pencils, ink pens and rulers.

A list of needed school supplies, grouped by grade level, is available on the West Virginia Department of Education website.

Collection sites in Kanawha County include the following locations during business hours:

After items are collected, they will be packaged by volunteers and distributed to affected schools as the new academic year begins.

More than 20 people died and thousands of homes, schools and businesses were damaged as a result of flash flooding that struck multiple counties in West Virginia in June. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has made federal disaster declarations for a number of counties.

The West Virginia Department of Education is partnering with Read Aloud West Virginia and West Virginia State University Extension Service to collect donations in Kanawha County.

For further details and a statewide list of collection sites, visit the West Virginia Department of Education website.

Turn summer slide into a springboard for family reading and bonding; key element? YOU!

by Parents and FamiliesReading

By Nikki Moses

Summer slide, summer setback, dumber in the summer. Ask any educator, and you will find that a loss of reading skills among students can be as much a part of summer as baseball and ice cream cones; but, it doesn’t have to be!

Many children lose more than two months of reading achievement over the summer, according to the Campaign for Grade Level Reading. Some children do not.

Summer can be a time for reading adventures, trying new genres, family read-a-thons, camp outs with flashlights for reading, reading under the old apple tree, trips to the library followed by stops for ice cream…and reading skills can be maintained or increased.

What (or who) is the catalyst? YOU!

Take advantage of the summer break. Skills and drills, necessary to the educational process, can be left at school. Have fun. Be creative. Bond. Pick up a book that you have been meaning to read!

Read Aloud of Boone County takes story time live!

by BooksChaptersReadingSocial Media

Read Aloud of Boone County is bringing live story time to a device near you this summer! Chapter President Jennifer Griffith is hosting the sessions on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. Children can tune in with their parents live or watch a recorded version on Read Aloud of Boone County’s Facebook page.

In this edition, Jennifer reads Hogwash by Karma Wilson. Tune in for more each Tuesday through June and July at 7:00!

Weimer Elementary scores a “hat trick” with morning muffins, donuts

by Book DistributionChaptersEventsNewsReading

By Melody Simpson

Becky Ryder, Read Aloud school coordinator and Title I reading teacher at Weimer Elementary School in Saint Albans, had three problems to solve: how to get her students more interested in reading, how to get books into their hands and homes, and how to get parents involved, both at the school and in their children’s success? Fortunately, she and the school came up with an innovative approach to address all three.

In January 2016, Weimer hosted a “Muffins with Moms” event one morning between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m., to catch moms (as well as grandmothers and other caregivers) as they were dropping off children at school. (Notices were sent home to alert them in advance.) On another morning in February, the school hosted “Donuts with Dads.” Both events were wildly successful, with 40 to 50 adults attending each one (counting the children, over 100 attended each event). The parents were welcomed and given snacks and drinks, and their children were permitted to choose a free book from a varied selection provided by Read Aloud. Parents then read the books to (or with) their children before the regular school day began.

“The first event was held in the school’s library, but we had so many attending it spilled over into my classroom,” Ryder commented. They moved the “Dads” event into the cafeteria to avoid this “wonderful” overcrowding problem. Ryder believes the timing of the events was key to their success. “When we’ve had family nights or PTO events in the evening, attendance has tended to be very low,” Ryder said. They were thrilled to have so many of the parents attending each event.

Ryder is passionate about making all Weimer students lifelong readers, but she recognizes that many of them face significant hurdles, not the least of which is simply the absence of books to read at home. She hopes to have some sort of book event once a month next year, if finances permit, during which students will be able to choose a book to take home. In addition, since many Weimer students do not live in traditional or stable housing, she plans to provide book bags to hold the students’ personal libraries. A Little Free Library was installed on the school grounds in May and Ryder also intends to request visits from the Kanawha County Public Library’s Bookmobile.

Ryder was extremely grateful to Read Aloud for the books: she commented the group even was able to provide her with books that were likely to appeal to men for the “Dads” event.  She hopes she can replicate the success of “Muffins with Moms” and “Donuts with Dads” next school year.

Melody Simpson is an attorney at Bowles Rice LLP, a volunteer reader and member of the Read Aloud board and newsletter committee.

 

Henry wants more

Librarian Recommended!

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooksReading
Here are some favorite selections from Terry McDougal, Head of Children’s Services at Kanawha County Public Library

Pre-kindergarten to first grade

Henry wants more Henry Wants MORE! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Brooke Boynton Hughes

Whether spending time with Papa, singing songs with Grandma, playing games with Lucy, or racing with Charlie, toddler Henry wears his family out until bedtime, when Mama is the one who wants more.

 

My Bike

My Bike by Byron Barton

Tom tells about his bicycle and riding by trucks, cars, even elephants, and his work as a circus performer.

 

 

Bee Dance

 

Bee Dance by Rick Chrustowski

A honeybee searches for nectar, then returns to the hive to tell the other bees. She does a waggle dance, moving in a special  pattern to share the location of the food. Vivid and active images bring these amazing bees to life!

 

 

Froggy Goes to the Library

Froggy Goes to the Library by Jonathan London,  illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

When Froggy, Mom and Pollywogilina set out for the library, Froggy brings a wheelbarrow to hold all the books he plans to borrow, but he is so excited that he forgets to use his indoor voice.

 

One Big Family

One Big Family by Marc Harshman, illustrated by Sarah Palacios

A family reunion brings summer fun and adventures in this cheerful celebration of family ties and the joys of summer.

 

First and second grades

 

Max's Math

Max’s Math by Kate Banks, illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Max and his brothers drive to Shapeville and Count Town searching for problems, and are able to use their skills in arithmetic and sleuthing to prepare for a rocket launch.

 

 

Bike On, Bear!

Bike on, Bear! by Cynthia Liu, illustrated by Kristyna Litten

Bear is an extraordinary genius who can do anything except ride a bike. Can he get on two wheels?

 

 

 

Clark the Shark Afraid of the Dark

Clark the Shark Afraid of the Dark by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Guy Francis

At a sleepover, Clark the Shark braves his fear of the dark with the help of music and friends.

 

 

 

Dreaming Up

Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale

A collection of concrete poetry, illustrations and photographs that shows how young children’s constructions, created as they play, are reflected in notable works of architecture from around the world.

 

 

The Quickest Kid in Clarskville

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Growing up in the segregated town of Clarksville, Tennessee in the 1960s, Alta’s family cannot afford to buy her new sneakers—but she still plans to attend the parade celebrating her hero Wilma Rudolph’s three Olympic gold medals.

 

 

Mid to upper elementary

Trombone Shorty

Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews, illustrated by Bryan Collier

A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King  award winner. Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. Along with illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds. The book is a celebration of the history of New Orleans and the power of music.

 

One Today

One Today by Richard Blanco, illustrated by Dav Pilkey

A lyrical, patriotic commemoration of America from dawn to dusk and coast to coast.

 

 

 

Ira's Shakespeare Dream

Ira’s Shakespeare Dream by Glenda Armand, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

A biography of Ira Aldridge, an African American actor who is considered one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of the nineteenth century.

 

 

Fourth to sixth grades

 

The Treasure of Way Down Deep

Treasure of Way Down Deep by Ruth White

In 1954, when mine closings bring an economic crisis to Way Down Deep, West Virginia, Ruby Jolene Hurley makes a thirteenth-birthday wish to find the treasure rumored to have been buried by one of the town’s founders.

 

 

 

Crenshaw

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There’s no more money for rent, and not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, outspoken and imaginary. He’s been gone for four years, but has come back into Jackson’s life to help him.