Emily revealing KPBS’ One Book, One San Diego 2025 Children’s selection: *The Interpreter* by Olivia Abtahi at the first annual KPBS Book Festival.

Words Alive is thrilled to celebrate Emily Mason as our September Volunteer of the Month! Emily recently represented Words Alive as the MC for the children’s Story Stage at the first annual KBPS Book Festival, demonstrating reading strategies and sharing her love of reading with families attending the event. When she isn’t rocking the microphone, Emily can be found supporting the Read Aloud program.

Emily first discovered Words Alive through a referral from one of our community partners in 2020. As a former English teacher, she wanted to volunteer with an organization focused on literacy and discovered the San Diego Council on Literacy through a Google search. Partnerships with community organizations, like the San Diego Council on Literacy, help Words Alive find and recruit passionate volunteers just like Emily. Words Alive’s mission aligned with Emily’s vision of her volunteer service, and the rest was history.

When asked if she remembered her first volunteer role at Words Alive, Emily immediately recalled her time with the Thank You Troop. She connected with projects the Thank You Troop worked on, like making brief thank you calls to volunteers and donors supporting Words Alive. Emily’s favorite part? Connecting with the passionate reader on the other end of the phone line and thanking them for helping the next generation fall in love with reading too.

Emily (bottom left) with the Community Outreach Team at the first annual KPBS Book Festival.

Emily credits her time supporting the Thank You Troop with falling in love with Words Alive, “It’s a brilliant idea!”

Recently re-launched as Thank You Thursdays, participants get the opportunity to celebrate and connect with other volunteers as they support recognition efforts for the organization by making thank you calls, preparing mailings, and completing other office-related tasks. Learn more about the volunteer opportunity through our partnership with HandsOn San Diego here.

As much as she loved the Thank You Troop, it wasn’t long before Emily found her way into one of Words Alive’s classrooms as a Reading Role Model with the Read Aloud Program. Jumping right in with four classrooms at Rolondo Park Elementary, Emily reflected that her primary motivation when she started volunteering was to give back to her community. She wasn’t anticipating that her community would give back to her. Emily’s time in the classroom reading to students became the highlight of her week:

Emily reads to one of her classrooms. Photo credit: San Diego Sun

“[The children] would rush up to me and give me hugs, show me what they’re working on… I’m going [into the classroom] and I’m getting my energy and soul fed. The kids are absolutely wonderful.”

New Read Aloud volunteers may recognize Emily as one of the trainers for the Read Aloud Program. When asked how she enjoys the opportunity to support volunteers new to Words Alive, she immediately exclaimed, “Oh, I love it! I’m a trainer at heart” with pride and excitement in her voice.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to volunteer with Words Alive, Emily wants you to know that time is right now: “Do you believe in the power of what literacy can do? If that’s an automatic yes, you should [volunteer]”.

Emily is inspired by the ripple effect that is created by Words Alive’s Reading Role Models:

“Kids get to learn about books that they never had an opportunity to. You spark imagination, spark conversation, institute critical thinking in kids and you make reading fun… kids need to see reading as being a fun thing to do. Words Alive does a phenomenal job doing that especially with the books they curate for each grade.”

There is still time to secure your spot in the classroom during the 2025-26 school year. Register for the next classroom information session, taking place on Thursday, October 16th, at the Words Alive office (770 Park Blvd San Diego CA 92101) to get started.

When asked if she had any advice for new Read Aloud volunteers, Emily chuckled.

“Never ask for hugs from the whole class at the same time,” Emily shared, “You’ll fall over.”

Thanks for the tip, Emily!

Book Q&A

What is your favorite book in the Read Aloud program?

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt.

Did you have a favorite book growing up, or is there a book that has had a big impact on you?

The first books that I fell in love with were by Margaret Hillert. I wasn’t a strong reader as a kid, and I liked these books because I started to memorize them, and it made me feel confident that I was actually reading.

The other book that comes to mind is Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish. She was so funny!

Do you have a special memory of reading with a caring adult from when you were a child?

In 6th grade there was a teacher named Mrs. Libert. Right after recess she would read to us, and it was a book that took several weeks to get through to get kids refocused. I remember being so invested in this book, Danny Champion of the Word by Roald Dahl, that I remember telling the other kids to be quiet so we could go inside to read more of the book!

*The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders* by Michael D. Watkins

What are you currently reading, or do you have a favorite book to recommend to others?
The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders by Michael D. Watkins