Promising Pages Meets Kirsty Coventry

On Friday, June 17, Promising Pages had the privilege of listening to Kirsty Coventry, an Olympic Swimming Champion, share her wisdom and insight on achieving big dreams. While winning gold medals may not seem comparable to an internship with a local Charlotte nonprofit such as Promising Pages, Coventry spoke several truths that are applicable to any individual seeking a successful and prosperous life.

Kirsty Coventry is a 2x Olympic Champion. 7x World Champion. 11x All Africa Champion. World Record Holder. Swimmer. IOC Member. Businesswoman. Ambassador. (@KirstyCoventry) 

Dear Team Read Ambassadors 2016/17, 

Being a Team Read Ambassador for Promising Pages is like training for the Olympic Games. Wait…you don’t believe me? Let me repeat that one more time. Being a Team Read Ambassador for Promising Pages is like training for the Olympic Games. While most of us are not dedicating our time to becoming an Olympic Gold Medalist, Coventry presented very valuable pieces of advice for all of us to remember as we work daily to reach our own goals.

You may have noticed that Coventry’s motto for training to be an Olympian is similar to Kristina’s motto for having a fruitful internship experience. What you put into your goals and ambitions is what you will get out of it. Coventry did not become the best without putting in the time and energy every single day. We learned that her secret to success is by being the first person to the pool each morning and the last to leave each evening. If you want to be the best intern you can be for Promising Pages, put in the effort to become the best you can be. Show up to events early to help set up, and then stay late after events to help clean up. Ask a staff member about extra things you can be doing at home or on the weekends. Be thinking of new ideas and creative projects to make Promising Pages even more unique and successful. Go the extra mile because that is how you are going to truly utilize your time as a Team Read Ambassador.

Remember that getting to where you want to be in life is not going to be easy. Nor should it be easy. The most exciting part about finally achieving your dreams is being able to look back and appreciate the journey it took to get there. As Coventry pointed out, things are going to get thrown at you and you will have to learn how to roll with the punches. There are going to be times when events for Promising Pages change or need adjustments. There will be a point during your experience as a Team Read Ambassador in which you will be asked to step up and take the lead on something. Sometimes being asked to play Erm or Erma at an event may seem intimidating, but you will learn how to go with the flow of things and embrace the unknown. Sometimes you may sign up for a Magic Book Party event that gets moved and end up going to an Operations Center shift instead. The best way to prepare for life is through learning that nothing is set in stone and that everything is subject to change. Learning how to be okay with change is crucial to becoming the most flexible and sufficient professional you can be.

Whether you are training for the Olympics or learning the ins and outs of Promising Pages, you are going to be pushed to your limits. There may be times when you get exhausted and irritated, but don’t give up. We all go through these speed bumps and have to learn how to overcome them. Maybe you have a difficult time working with large groups. Take the time to learn the best way to overcome that bump in the road. This may mean taking a short break to collect yourself during an event. Perhaps you are working with a child and no matter what you say or do, the child does not care about reading books or becoming a bookworm. Don’t be discouraged, Ambassadors. These speed bumps are necessary in order to grow. We all have to go through a lot to get to the places we want to be. Testing your limits and being pushed to your breaking point is a key sign that you are getting closer and closer to reaching your goals. Use these speed bumps as motivation and encouragement to keep going.

Lastly, being an Olympic Gold Medalist such as Kirsty Coventry or being the very best Team Read Ambassador for Promising Pages is not possible without a strong group of individuals surrounding you every step of the way. The people you surround yourself with have the power to push you to achieve the impossible or to pull you back. A big part of being successful in anything that you do is spending your time with people who push you and motivate you to be better, so choose wisely. Coventry did not view other Olympic swimmers as competition. Instead, she used those relationships to practice and become better. It is important to have friends and peers who share a similar passion and desire to succeed because that is a healthy and productive way to improve your skills and qualities as a professional. Remember the biggest competition should always be with yourself. There is always going to be someone better, so you just have to be the best version of yourself you can be.

As Team Read Ambassadors, you are empowered to go above and beyond each day. Don’t ever be afraid to take on the challenges that life throws at you, and always be willing to give your all in order to achieve the great dreams you have for yourself. If you have a desire to stand on that podium just like Coventry did, you’ll have to work hard to get there. Believe in yourselves and GO FOR THE GOLD!

Kids Matter,

Caitlyn Bergmann,

Operations Coordinator/Team Read Staff 

To learn more about Kirsty Coventry, visit her website! 
http://www.kirstycoventry.com/

That's a Wrap!

As the academic school year comes to a close, we have a lot to be thankful for here at Promising Pages. The work being done by our old and new bookworms is just astounding! Erma will surely miss the bright faces of her faithful readers this summer. However, there are some things each and every bookworm can do this summer to make sure their reading continues to improve!

           

Some may believe that reading levels will simply remain the same over the summer months. What if I told you that this is not the case? In fact, the lack of reading over the summer can actually create a shockingly vast decline in reading levels from the previous school year. According to Reading Rockets, “it is the students who can least afford to lose the reading gains they’ve achieved during the school year who fall the farthest behind when they return to the classroom after summer break.” BUT…this doesn’t have to be the reality.  It is the goal of Promising Pages to develop a community in which reading occurs even when school’s out for the summer. Scholastic collected a number of summer learning loss statistics, and two months of reading skills are lost over the summer when students don’t pick up their books. Let’s all agree that this summer will be the summer in which our bookworms defeat these statistics!

           

So how do we make sure our bookworms remember to read this summer? Well first, we must understand what summer reading loss really means. Summer reading loss is best explained through this video that shows what happens over the summer when students aren’t engaging with reading material every day. 

As you can see, the dilemma of summer reading loss is a very real problem for our students each year. There are so many cool and unique tools and resources to help encourage young readers to keep reading, regardless of their summer plans.

Where do you think bookworms can read over the summer? They can read…

1. At the pool!
2. On the beach!
3. In a car/on a plane/on a train!
4. At the park!
5. At the mountains!
6. Before bed!
7. At camp!
8. At grandma’s!
9. At Disney World!
10. And most importantly…AT HOME!!!

While your bookworm may not always be excited about diving into a book over their summer break, there are many interesting ways to get students more enthusiastic about reading!

Try playing a fun game of Summer Reading Bingo! A unique way to reward young readers for reading outside, reading to a parent/sibling, reading on a rainy day and much more!

For students who would rather draw, color and create rather than read a book, check out this printable coloring sheet! Readers can color in a book each time they read a book front to back! This is a great way to visually show children just how many books they read and get them excited about their progress.

 

For children who love sports and are more competitive, get them involved in Scholastic’s Summer Reading Challenge! This is a chance for students to read and log their minutes all summer, unlocking special stories, games, and prizes. Get a group of friends to see who can read the most minutes this summer!

Lastly, where does Promising Pages fit into summer reading? Well, according to the chart above, students from low-income households with no access to books experience detrimental losses in their reading levels. The mission of Promising Pages is to make sure these children from under-served communities get the access to books that they so desperately need, especially during the summer months.

We are so excited for our high school and college interns to join us this summer for Team Read 2016! This is a big time for our organization to promote and encourage summer reading. With the help of our volunteers, sponsors, interns and staff, we hope to crush the statistics of summer reading loss and create even more bookworms in the Greater Charlotte Area!

Remember…books matter and kids matter! 

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Dr. Seuss’ birthday is an exciting day to celebrate for people of all ages! At one time or another, we have all experienced his whimsical stories from The Cat in the Hat to How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Growing up, I have fond memories of reading Green Eggs and Ham with my aunt and uncle on vacations every year. Even in elementary school, I remember my kindergarten class having a Green Eggs and Ham party in his honor. Dr. Seuss is such an iconic figure in the world of education and reading and his birthday is certainly a day to recognize!

“I like nonsense. It wakes up the brain cells.” – Dr. Seuss

I have always loved Dr. Seuss for his use of nonsense literature. Children’s authors such as Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll are famous for their use of nonsense writing. Nonsense literature is when authors derive their own words and meanings for words even when these words and phrases do not match up with logic and reason. While this type of literature is considered nonsense, these types of stories are critical for young children to develop strong reading skills as well has heighten creativity. According to The Nonsensical Seuss, “Nonsense words in children’s literature are important because the recognition of nonsense words by a new reader is an indicator of their future level of literacy.”

Here at Promising Pages, we have a special love for Dr. Seuss and all that he has contributed to children over the decades.

 

                                                               










“My favorite Dr. Seuss book is And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street. This was his first children’s book and it took him 27 times to finally get published. This is such an important book to us here at Promising Pages, and we make sure to use this book for our purposes any chance we get. Personally, I love this book because it shows perseverance and tenacity, which are two very important qualities we want kids to learn through becoming bookworms.” – Kristina Cruise, Founder and Executive Director

“My favorite Dr. Seuss book is Oh, The Places You’ll Go! In this book, it talks about adventures and challenges that life has to offer. It encourages one to try hard and give his or her best.” – Helen Kimbrough, Director of Operations

“My favorite Dr. Seuss book is Green Eggs and Ham. I am also a big fan of The Lorax because this book promotes the importance of taking care of our environment. I have always loved Dr. Seuss because his stories and illustrations are so unique and catchy. His words and pictures are so distinct that everyone can always spot a Dr. Seuss classic.” – Caitlyn Bergmann, Operations Assistant

Over his lifetime, Dr. Seuss published 46 children’s books. This means a lot to us at Promising Pages because 46 Dr. Seuss books means 46 stories we can share with young readers in the Charlotte area. In fact, every year we celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday with a number of schools that we partner with across Charlotte by throwing Dr. Seuss parties.

Be sure to read your favorite Dr. Seuss book today!

Source: http://seuss.obdurodon.org/lit.xhtml

Did You Know Reading Out Loud Improves Literacy and Speech?

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to play Erma the Bookworma for our weekly visit to Crisis Assistance Ministry. The first bookworm we met was a little boy named Thomas who was sitting with his grandmother. Thomas seemed very shy at first and was a very unique bookworm. His grandmother explained to us that he had speech difficulties. Since she spent the most time with Thomas during the week, she talked to us about all of the things she did with him to help improve his speech—Little did she know that reading books out loud with Thomas is a key factor in helping with speech difficulties.

While reading is typically viewed as an individual and silent activity, reading out loud really does have a great impact on how our brains learn and comprehend. When you are reading hard pieces of text, sometimes slowly reading it out loud helps your brain to process and sort the information better. Even when you are writing, it is important to read your work out loud because that helps your brain pick up on any overlooked mistakes. 

Reading out loud with young children is especially important in molding their brains and critical-thinking skills. More importantly, however, reading out loud can help enhance and develop speech. According to Reading Rockets, a national multimedia literacy initiative, “Reading to your child and having him/her name objects in a book or read aloud to you can strengthen his/her speech and language skills.” Reading Rockets also offers a number of tips for parents of children with speech and language problems, such as talking about the pictures in books and asking questions about the stories.

Figure 1: mysightwords.net/benefits-reading-out-loud-child

 Instilling the importance of reading out loud at a young age doesn’t just improve speech skills. It can also help develop skills in many different areas that are important when it comes to having a bright and prosperous future. Skills such as communication, listening, problem-solving, comprehension, inference-making, and literacy are all results of reading out loud. In fact, Speech Buddies, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children with speech and language challenges through speech therapy, states that “Visual awareness of letters and sentences, auditory awareness of phonetics and the spoken language, processing skills for language, and skills for transferring what is read into speaking are all part of the literacy equation.”

Speech Buddies offers tips for reading aloud success. These tips are designed to promote reading out loud to enhance speech and literacy skills that are connected to other skills such as communication and critical-reasoning. The first tip is to start small and read below level. It is important not to overwhelm young readers with books that are complicated when you are first introducing them to the idea of reading out loud. Next, don’t interrupt the reading to correct. It is imperative that you don’t interfere with the flow of reading out loud, but make sure to point out corrections at the end. Lastly, have your child read out loud to something—not someone. This is important because it will reduce the stress of reading to a person, and it will give the child more opportunities to read aloud on their own.

Figure 2: mzteachuh.blogspot.com

Don’t underestimate the power of reading out loud with your children! Remember to always be a source of encouragement for your children, and practice reading out loud for at least 10 minutes every night.

Sources:

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/reading-together-tips-parents-children-speech-and-language-problems

https://www.speechbuddy.com/blog/language-development/reading-aloud-how-to-help-kids-succeed/

A Heart to Serve Others is Contagious!

If you ask anyone on staff at Promising Pages, they will gladly tell you that our volunteers play a very critical role in our organization. In just the past month, I have seen a number of volunteers come through our doors, and it truly is a testament to how much people believe in the power of reading. Our volunteers are dedicated and motivated to achieving our mission, and our successes and movements within the community wouldn’t be possible without them.

Almost every week, Promising Pages brings a sense of hope and joy to the children at Crisis Assistance Ministry through our mascot, Erma the Bookworma, and our Magic Books. A few weeks ago, I experienced something at Crisis that I had never seen before. Making our way through the rows of disheartened adults and children, I saw our Magic Books spark something in the hearts of the people we encountered. It wasn’t simply a smile and a thank you, it was a desire to do something more. In that day alone, I heard a handful of people ask for more information about Promising Pages. These people wanted to know more about our organization because they felt an overwhelming sense to do whatever they could to make a difference.

Seeing the hearts of these people open up to the idea of serving was very exciting and inspiring for me. The people in Crisis that day were most likely feeling down on their luck, hopeless, and defeated. However, those feelings did not stop them from seeking out any opportunity to give what they could. Time, energy, and passion are just a few things a person needs to serve the people around them. Whatever a person brings to the table has the power to make a difference and impact the community in monumental ways. That’s the beauty of seeing the people in Crisis being moved to serve. Perhaps they feel like they don’t have much to give, but they want to give all that they do have to helping other people. Each person we met that day has a variety of skill sets and talents that make them perfect for volunteering with Promising Pages.

There isn’t a rule book or list of requirements to serve people who need a helping hand. At some point, everyone could use a little help. All it takes is a heart that is willing and ready to do something more. The heart to serve others truly is contagious, and I’m so thankful that it is.

Thank you to all of our faithful volunteers for making the past five years such a success. You have been a blessing to Promising Pages and the Charlotte area!

If you are interested in volunteering with Promising Pages, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Arlethia Hailstock, at arlethia@promisingpages.com. 

The Life of an Intern: My First Day as Erma the Bookworma

When I think of the word “bookworm,” I think of someone who is a little on the reserved side. Someone who is cautious of the world around them. Someone who tends to shy away from others and hide themselves as a means of protection. They love to read a good book as a way of escaping the world by entering into another.

I consider myself to be a bookworm, and I definitely resonate with the solitude that typically goes along with getting lost in a book. When I first heard about Erma the Bookworma, I was instantly nervous about putting on the costume and being in the spotlight. While I’m not one to back down from a challenge, I’m an introvert at heart. However, being an introverted person isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy my fifteen seconds of fame every once in a while. The idea of being Erma the Bookworma for the first time was both exciting and terrifying.

Stepping into the shoes of Promising Pages’ beloved mascot, I realized I had never experienced real fear. Being scared to leave my comfort zone is nothing compared to the crippling fear that every family at Crisis Assistance Ministry knows all too well. I grew up in a safe area surrounded by schools and churches. I never had to worry about being evicted from my childhood home. I never went to bed hungry. I never had to choose between sheer survival and my education. But the kids I met as Erma the Bookworma face those fears every single day. Their families are on the brink of losing everything, or perhaps they already have.

 Erma the Bookworma brings a sense of hope and happiness to the families at Crisis Assistance Ministry. Every Magic Book given to a child from Erma has the power to inspire and change lives. I know this because I’ve experienced the smiles on discouraged faces. The excitement in opening a book and reading the first page.

For just a second, a visit from Erma the Bookworma helps families at Crisis to forget. To forget the fears and the uncertainties and imagine something better. I truly believe that our Magic Books can show these families that education and reading lead to a path of prosperity. 

Even the bond created between parent and child through a shared reading experience can move mountains. In fact, research shows that students are more likely to succeed academically and socially when parents are engaged and involved in their learning. One of the most important things Erma and the Magic Books can do for a parent and child is provide the space for mutual learning. The sad reality I have learned from going to Crisis is that many parents lack the resources or time to actively read by themselves or with their children. If we are going change the way young children view reading, we must first start by changing parent perspective.

Perhaps bookworms read books to escape reality, or maybe they read to overcome their fears. Perhaps reading is the first step in chasing their dreams. But it all starts with a book. A Magic Book from Erma the Bookworma can change everything.

After my first few weeks as an intern with Promising Pages, I can confidently say that books matter. They matter more than we think. Even in my own life, I have no idea where I would be without books.

Where would you be? 

A Summer to Remember

Finally, Charlotte’s cool and colorful Fall seems to be right around the corner. At Promising Pages, we are also fully aware of the changing time of year as we say farewell to an incredibly productive summer and hello to an already jam packed fall! However, it would not be right to leave summer behind without recognizing the amazing team that made it all possible. 

Team Read 2013!

Starting in June, The Dale Earnhardt Foundation sponsored “Team Read 2013,” a group of 45 high school interns from 18 high schools across Charlotte. Throughout the summer this bright and energetic group of students hosted 120 literacy projects with community partners (Book Buddies with Male Leadership Academy, Crisis Assistance, Magic Book Parties with Y Readers and Freedom Schools, Back to School Bashes) as well as keeping the Warehouse in working order through sorting, cleaning, labeling and wrapping over 20,000 Books!

They prepped and hosted volunteers at our events in June and then marketed and staffed our Summer Book Sale in August. Even on their own time they kept up the hard work through serving on committees to further develop Promising Pages through social media, fundraising, holding neighborhood book drives, and simply generating ideas that will make a lasting impact on our organization.

One of 120 literacy events!

While our interns were teaching children how to love books, they were also learning. They were trained by UNCC literacy experts on how to encourage and read effectively with children, how to work as a team  on projects that took patience and endurance, and how to set goals knowing that the only way to grow is to try.

By mid August, just before our friends headed back to the classroom, we recognized them at a yummy awards dinner where we highlighted the achievements of our star interns. We proudly announced to the whole Team Read that they helped to bring in a total of 12,390 books to the Warehouse while, through requests from our community partners, we were able to see over 20,000 books leave our Warehouse and enter the hands of children.

End of the Summer Celebration

The Dale Earnhardt Foundation Team Read 2013 became the hands and feet of our organization this summer, quite literally. But they also became the heart behind our organization. There was so much joy in  getting to see them love their work, whether it was making friends with little ones at Crisis Assistance Ministry, having one on one reading time with kids at Book Parties, or simply bringing a smile to a student’s face by giving them a wrapped book. I can guarantee that there are children in Charlotte who will not forget their experience with a Team Read Member and have a greater love for reading because of it. We are sad to see them return to school but it is a privilege to know we had some of the most creative, passionate, and dedicated young leaders working with us this summer.

Working hard at the Warehouse!

We are so grateful for the time each one of them dedicated to this internship- with a combined total of 2,808 hours put in to Promising Pages projects! Team Read 2013 was such a success, they are featured in the Editor's Letter of the August issue of Society Charlotte Magazine. Society highlights some great pics of our Intern Orientation here: Society Magazine Editor's Letter

After taking a small “summer break” the past few weeks, everyone at at Promising Pages is re-energized and  geared  up for an exciting fall. We are welcoming aboard new interns and volunteer staff, expanding our Book Party programming to new elementary school partners, and prepping for our Fall Book Sale are only a few of the big things already in the works. We truly appreciate all of the hard work, donations, and good thoughts constantly sent our way from interns, volunteers, and the community. It is uplifting and encouraging and there are so many more fuller bookshelves and smiling faces in Charlotte because of it. Happy Fall!

Erma the Bookworm with new friends at Crisis Assistance!