It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time to meet two more great RIF ambassadors! This week we head out to the Pacific Time Zone to meet the RIF ambassadors from sunny Arizona and Nevada.
Arizona RIF Ambassador, Charlotte Forte, has worked at Southwest Human Development (SWHD) for the past 17 years and is the program coordinator for RIF and Reach Out and Read Arizona. Charlotte currently oversees four RIF programs: Family of Readers, Shared Beginnings and two Books for Ownership programs. With RIF funding, SWHD has provided books to approximately 80,000 children in Head Start, Early Head Start, Healthy Families, Reach Out and Read, Family Support, and Health and Wellness programs. Most children served are between the ages of birth and five years, with some programs serving teen parents. RIF also supports the Reach Out and Read program, which promotes early literacy through pediatric clinics in Maricopa County. In a recent post on the RIF Ambassadors blog, Charlotte explains that “In Arizona, as broad as the mountains that surround our valley, so is the need to reach the families and the children in our state. But, with the generous help from RIF and Macy’s, we are doing just that. I am so proud to serve and represent such a wonderful program as Reading Is Fundamental.”
Arizona Ambassador, Charlotte Forte is served “make-believe” pizza by Carol Rasco during a special visit to Southwest Human Development and the Reach and Read Arizona Coalition at the ROR First Annual EGGstravaganza.
Originally from Boston, Nevada RIF Ambassador, Steve Moylan, has lived and taught in Las Vegas for the past 20 years. He is proud to say he has personally started two RIF programs, one at an at-risk middle school and one at his present assignment, Spring Mountain Youth Camp, a 100-bed juvenile detention facility. Steve feels that Spring Mountain can mean a new start for many troubled young men, whose average age is 15 and who live at the facility for about five months. Spring Mountain means attending school on a daily basis, living in a clean, well-supervised environment, playing sports and participating in the Reading Is Fundamental program. For many of these youths, RIF provides the first books they have ever owned and RIF book distributions are eagerly anticipated. The books are discussed among the boys and proudly shown to teachers, guidance counselors, and dorm staff. Steve and all of the Spring Mountain staff and faculty are glad to be a part of this program. Check out the RIF Ambassadors blog to read an inspiring story about how RIF makes a difference for one of Steve’s RIF students at Spring Mountain.
It is a gray, gloomy day in Washington, DC as the spring rains pour, but how much fun to see a cover in the bookstore early this morning with a different kind of “rain” — CUPCAKES! IT’S RAINING CUPCAKES by Lisa Schroeder is plenty enticing to me by cover alone, you know how much I like cupcakes! Published this month by Aladdin, the book is recommended for upper elementary ages. First stop after work today: find a cupcake for nibbling while I read the book.
Cover Story is a feature every Monday on Rasco From RIF where I share with you the “face” of a book that has caught my eye or that readers have submitted. Cover Story does not discuss the full content nor review the book. I hope you will share your favorite “cover story” with me now and then!
Happy Ambassador Tuesday, everyone! This week’s featured ambassadors might live on opposite coasts, but they’re both doing incredible work to inspire the love of reading and to help save RIF’s funding!
Rhode Island RIF Ambassador, Maria Mendez-Garcia, has been the librarian at the International Charter School (ICS) for four years and the RIF coordinator for the past two years. ICS is a unique place where the students are enrolled in either a Spanish/English learning strand or a Portuguese/English learning strand. Everything at the school reflects the learning in these three languages. While it is challenging to find quality books the children will enjoy in Spanish and Portuguese, Maria scours through catalogs and websites looking for exactly these items. Last year, she was able to convince a small publishing company who offers reduced-price, original language children’s books in Portuguese to join the RIF family of approved book vendors! In addition, in light of the current campaign to reinstate RIF’s federal funding, Maria had the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at ICS write letters to members of Congress and President Obama. “They were all very worried that if they didn’t get this done, the senators and representatives would not realize how important the program was and axe it before getting their letters,” Maria said. “They ask me every day whether or not I’ve heard any news on the status of the RIF funding.” Way to go Maria!
The 3rd grade Portuguese/English class from the International Charter School with their letters to the representatives of Rhode Island, asking them to support the RIF program.
California RIF Ambassador, Basia Lubicz, (pronounced Basha LouBeach), is in her third year as assistant RIF coordinator for Oakland United School District (OUSD), under District Librarian Ann Gallagher. Together they administer RIF in over 75 schools, where too frequently, the program provides the only books many students have at home. Ms. Lubicz began as a volunteer in OUSD’s Grants Department and worked on a project with Library Services, which eventually led to her role with RIF at OUSD. Basia also supports district literacy goals with occasional grant writing. Recent grants from Macy’s and the Laura Bush Foundation have leveraged their RIF grant by enabling them to provide books to an additional 1,500 preschoolers and establish or update libraries in two underserved middle schools. An acknowledged “bookaholic,” Basia’s addiction to books began with her first “bite” of Green Eggs and Ham, read to her by an older brother. Basia and others from the OUSD RIF program have truly done their part to support RIF’s funding campaign by sending out “Save RIF” communications throughout their district to all principals, the OUSD public information officer, superintendent, their 75 site coordinators, and even to folks in the neighboring Berkeley United School District! Bravo Basia and Oakland United School District!
Clifford the Big Red Dog visits Cox Elementary in Oakland, Calif. for a RIF assembly prior to a book distribution. RIF books shared the spotlight with Clifford as staff and volunteers role-played on stage, along with having a Q&A with the students.
With the close of last week and the weekend itself such “spring-like” weather (and it turned spring of course), I start thinking about cherry blossoms in DC. The cover of FOREVER FRIENDS written and illustrated by Carin Berger fits that cherry blossom mood; I am ready to make the walk with friends under the pink fluffy clouds of blossoms that have come to rest on limbs around the Tidal Basin!
This cover is indeed the picture of spring for me.
Cover Story is a feature every Monday on Rasco From RIF where I share with you the “face” of a book that has caught my eye or that readers have submitted. Cover Story does not discuss the full content nor review the book. I hope you will share your favorite “cover story” with me now and then!
Maria Salvadore shares her love of children's books with RIF staff.
Last week for the second year, RIF Board member Margy McNamara Pastor opened her home to the RIF staff Margaret McNamara Awardees from past years for a spring afternoon of desserts, conversation and a special presentation this year by Maria Salvadore. The conversations flowed in small groups inside and outside on the wonderful deck as staff marveled over the arrival of spring…how long had it been since we were able to stand outside in comfort?
Maria who is a children’s literacy advocate, librarian, professor extraordinaire shared the 2010 Newbery Medal book and honor books. The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. How fascinating to hear about the books in-depth from a 2010 Newbery Committee member like Maria, and we thank her for joining us!
Exquisite desserts…
Conversation....
And in fine RIF tradition, Margy presented each guest with a book!
As my own hometown paper would note “A good time was had by all”! Thank you, Margy.
Carol
Goodness! It’s spring break already! There are so many things that will engage middle schooler’s mind at this time of year, and chances are, it might not include reading. But, you know, I’ve had the chance to connect with author Sneed B. Collard III, and he tells quite a tale.
RIF is fortunate to have great literacy friends like Sneed B. Collard III to share thoughts about the books they write. And we are deeply appreciative of Sneed and the staff over at Peachtree Publishers for bringing RascofromRIF.org our first guest author blog.
Welcome, Sneed!
Thanks, Carol. Imagine you’re on spring break, sitting on a beach slathering on your eighth layer of sunscreen, and your toe digs into the sand and touches something hard. You reach down and are surprised to pull out a gold coin—a coin that may be worth a fortune. This possibility is not only more likely than you might imagine—it inspired my latest thriller, Double Eagle.
Flying down to Florida or Alabama for spring break, staying at high-rise hotels and eating at restaurants, it’s sometimes hard to imagine how much history permeates the region. But during the Civil War, especially, countless dramas played out up and down the Gulf Coast. One of the most exciting was the saga of the blockade runners.
To help win the war, the North decided to cut off supplies to the South by implementing a blockade of Southern ports. Union warships stood off at the mouths of these ports and stopped or sunk ships trying to carry cotton out to foreign markets or smuggle weapons, medicines, liquor, and luxury goods into Southern states. At first, the blockade was less than effective, but as the war continued, the noose tightened and more and more blockade runners were captured or sunk.
“What if,” I asked myself, “during the Union recapture of New Orleans, Confederate commanders tried to smuggle out a precious cargo of gold coins, or double eagles? And what if those coins disappeared somewhere along the coast, presumably sunk by a Union warship? But,” I imagined, “what if, more than a century later, two boys accidentally discovered one of these gold coins in an old Civil War fort?”
What made this idea so appealing is that it is actually plausible. The Confederacy had several supplies of gold during the war and some of it ended up missing. In fact, people are still searching for Confederate gold today. Treasure hunting has also become a big business. In 2003, professional treasure hunters discovered the wreck of the SS Republic, lost in 1865, and recovered more than $75 million in gold, silver, and other treasure. Hundreds—perhaps thousands—of other wrecks, many filled with treasure, litter the sea bottom along our shores.
In Double Eagle, in fact, a professional treasure hunter is trying to salvage the sunken wreck of a blockade runner, looking for precisely the same treasure the boys may have stumbled on inside the old fort. As the boys begin to realize how valuable their double eagle is, the treasure hunter gets wind of the boys’ discovery. With a Category 4 hurricane bearing down on the island, the race is on to find the rest of the missing Confederate gold.
To research Double Eagle, my family and I spent a month on Dauphin Island, Alabama, searching through Fort Gaines, talking to historians, and just soaking up ideas for the book. I think it is my most fun novel so far, and one I hope you’ll enjoy while soaking up the fun and sun this spring break and summer.
How much fun to have an author join us here, delighted to meet you Sneed! Win a free signed copy of Double Eagle. Now it’s your turn, readers: Comment here about this blog post for the chance to win a free signed copy of Sneed B. Collard’s Double Eagle! Three lucky respondents will be selected at random to win.
Happy Ambassador Tuesday everyone! This week we’re going to be visiting with ambassadors from the two beautiful states of Tennessee and Hawaii!
Tennessee RIF Ambassador, Sone-Serae Batten, is the Education and Staff Development Manager for Mid Cumberland Head Start/Early Head Start in Murfreesboro, Tenn. In this role Sone-Serae manages the training and technical assistance, education and mental health services, and coordinates the RIF program. She has been with Mid Cumberland Head Start since June 2001.
(From left to right.) Head Start students from Lucille Roth and Teresa Goodrich’s classroom in Gallatin, choose books during the first book distribution. Sumner County Head Start was excited to be featured on News Channel 5 evening news about its first book distribution. From left to right, cameraman Charlie, RIF Coordinator Sone-Serae Batten, News Channel 5 Anchor Vicky Yates, Area Manager Clarice Tibbs and Family Service Coordinator Sandi Cummings.
The Mid Cumberland Head Start/Early Head Start program serves children birth through age 5 in eight counties across middle Tennessee. Recently, Sumner County Head Start was visited by friends from News Channel 5 and their first book distribution event was featured on the evening news! What a great way to let everyone in their community know about RIF. Cheatham County Head Start parents also made their voices heard when a RIF parent and grandparent heard the news about RIF’s funding and decided to start a letter writing campaign to their members of Congress. Fifty-one Cheatham County Head Start parents signed a letter to Congressman Jim Cooper imploring him to support RIF. Visit the RIF Ambassadors blog to read more about these parents’ inspiring efforts.
Hawaii RIF Ambassador, Leigh Kurata, is a Family Literacy Specialist and oversees the Family Literacy component for the Parents And Children Together Early Head Start/Head Start program, which provides early childhood education and related comprehensive services for low-income families and children with special needs in Honolulu, Hawaii. Leigh is also the RIF coordinator for the program’s four RIF sites, located at various centers throughout the island of Oahu. The RIF program has been in existence for nine years and Leigh has been involved for approximately eight. She is thrilled to be this year’s RIF ambassador for the great state of Hawaii.
At a recent book distribution event, RIF children in Honolulu, Hawaii went "fishing for RIF books!”
To all who helped in ways large and small to make Share a Story, Shape a Future such an incredible experience for the “village”, RIF extends a bright spring flower to each of you for a week that stimulated thought, stretched our ideas about how we share the stories and created a stronger road map for shaping the future of literacy in the lives of our children and families. For many of us who found ourselves falling behind in reading the rich array of entries, we’ll be spending time over the coming weeks continuing to read and reflect, returning again and again to renew our energy and dedication. Bravo!
Good morning on this “first work day after the ’spring forward’ time change”!
Oh, my, as I look at this cover I can think of all types of scenarios as to what might be going on here…what do you think is going to happen? Who is Miss Brooks?
Cover Story is a feature every Monday on Rasco From RIF where I share with you the “face” of a book that has caught my eye or that readers have submitted. Cover Story does not discuss the full content nor review the book. I hope you will share your favorite “cover story” with me now and then!
As noted on the Everybody Wins! website in speaking about their roots:
“Founded in 1991 by Arthur and Phyllis Tannenbaum, EVERYBODY WINS! began as five volunteers reading on their lunch hours in one Manhattan school. Since then, it has grown into a national public-private partnership that provides structured one-on-one mentoring to low-income youth.”
RIF wishes EVERYBODY WINS! a Happy, Happy Birthday! We are proud to serve with you in the cause of the best possible literacy skills for every child in this country.
ALERT, ALERT! I have now realized my own probable “reading problem” as I return and review a Facebook entry. I believe “the birthday” is actually for several Everybody Wins! staff members and directors…alas, however, I love a birthday so let’s applaud Everybody Wins! as if it is their “pretend” birthday! *clap hands wildly*
RIF also extends applause and showers of gold stars to Richard Greif, executive director of Everybody Wins, for his phenomenal leadership in recent weeks bringing attention through a national campaign concept to the importance of reading to children . You are an inspiration, Rich, and many more people are now in our collective children’s literacy advocacy camp due to your persistence and persuasion! Thank you! Let us all commit to continue to spread this important message.
And here’s to many more birthdays, Everybody Wins, both real and pretend! Happy Reading!
Carol
Arizona RIF Ambassador, Charlotte Forte, has worked at Southwest Human Development (SWHD) for the past 17 years and is the program coordinator for RIF and Reach Out and Read Arizona. Charlotte currently oversees four RIF programs: Family of Readers, Shared Beginnings and two Books for Ownership programs. With RIF funding, SWHD has provided books to approximately 80,000 children in Head Start, Early Head Start, Healthy Families, Reach Out and Read, Family Support, and Health and Wellness programs. Most children served are between the ages of birth and five years, with some programs serving teen parents. RIF also supports the Reach Out and Read program, which promotes early literacy through pediatric clinics in Maricopa County. In a recent post on the RIF Ambassadors blog, Charlotte explains that “In Arizona, as broad as the mountains that surround our valley, so is the need to reach the families and the children in our state. But, with the generous help from RIF and Macy’s, we are doing just that. I am so proud to serve and represent such a wonderful program as Reading Is Fundamental.”
Originally from Boston, Nevada RIF Ambassador, Steve Moylan, has lived and taught in Las Vegas for the past 20 years. He is proud to say he has personally started two RIF programs, one at an at-risk middle school and one at his present assignment, Spring Mountain Youth Camp, a 100-bed juvenile detention facility. Steve feels that Spring Mountain can mean a new start for many troubled young men, whose average age is 15 and who live at the facility for about five months. Spring Mountain means attending school on a daily basis, living in a clean, well-supervised environment, playing sports and participating in the Reading Is Fundamental program. For many of these youths, RIF provides the first books they have ever owned and RIF book distributions are eagerly anticipated. The books are discussed among the boys and proudly shown to teachers, guidance counselors, and dorm staff. Steve and all of the Spring Mountain staff and faculty are glad to be a part of this program. Check out the RIF Ambassadors blog to read an inspiring story about how RIF makes a difference for one of Steve’s RIF students at Spring Mountain.
Thanks, Carol. Imagine you’re on spring break, sitting on a beach slathering on your eighth layer of sunscreen, and your toe digs into the sand and touches something hard. You reach down and are surprised to pull out a gold coin—a coin that may be worth a fortune. This possibility is not only more likely than you might imagine—it inspired my latest thriller, 
To help win the war, the North decided to cut off supplies to the South by implementing a blockade of Southern ports. Union warships stood off at the mouths of these ports and stopped or sunk ships trying to carry cotton out to foreign markets or smuggle weapons, medicines, liquor, and luxury goods into Southern states. At first, the blockade was less than effective, but as the war continued, the noose tightened and more and more blockade runners were captured or sunk.
